Intricacy
by Kitty Bunji
Summary: After her mother is murdered Sakura is sent to live with her frail grandmother Tsunade in Suna. After being homeschooled by Tsunade for three years, she is finally sent to Suna High. While there she meets a young man with a dark Aura. "I feel you can help me tame the monster inside me..." GaaxSaku. Credit to my friend Miss. Understood who inspired my story! COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1

_I'm saying this now so people don't get confused later. Tsunade is MUCH OLDER then she is in the actual naruto story, and so she doesn't keep up her original appearance. You'll understand what i mean later on in the story._

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Sakura wasn't particularly new to the town, she'd been living in Suna for the past three years of her life. It was a lively town, though not many people would visit but the warm weather pulled everyone in like bees to honey, especially since the town ' a mysterious aura' to it. It was a small town, not known that widely, but one of the biggest pull factor would be Suna High School. For the past three years Sakura had been homeschooled. Before that, she had everything a girl could ask for; friends, family, parents etc. but three years ago, the Haruno household fell apart when Sakura's father killed his wife unexpectedly. Now, the pink haired female's dad resided in jail, claiming: 'It wasn't me!' Now, Sakura lived with her grandmother. Her grandmother had a lot of money, and her name was quite well known throughout the world. Senju, Tsunade. Sakura's grandfather was dead, due to reasons that Tsunade doesn't like to speak of. It's always the same 'You'll know when the time is right.'

As of right now, Sakura was pacing back and forth in her room. After three years of being home schooled, her grandmother had finally decided to let Sakura attend Suna High. It was unclear to the female what had finally changed her grandmother's mind so suddenly, but she wasn't one to complain. Sakura clutched the charm around her neck, it was in the shape of a cherry blossom. It had belonged to her grandfather once, but when he had died, it was placed in Sakura's possession. Tsunade always said it was meant to bring protection, it had always done that for past relatives anyway. Sakura carried it with her everywhere. She _did_ believe it was proctecting her somehow... from something or someone. Suna was a town full of mysteries after all.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Being late to class on the first day of school wasn't exactly what Sakura was thinking when she had pictured going to school. It was more along the lines of bustling hallways, chatter ringing through the hallways and friends exchanging their plans for the afternoon. Of course she knew this was Suna she was talking about, with it's school population of less than 500. Still laughter did ring through the hallways; it went along well with the town of Suna in general. But now, the hallways were completely empty. Not a single sign of life lingering in the atmostphere, leaving Sakura on her own.

"Dang it..." Sakura hissed, leaning against a locker nearby.

Sakura's P.O.V.

I always got a weird vibe from the town, but now? I know for sure something was weird. Everyone just left me all alone. I wish I could just go back to Konoha, but that would be impossible. Blowing my hair out of my face, staring at the ground. I couldn't go back to my old life, but I didn't really like this place that much either. It was nice and peaceful, sure, but this place always gave me a feeling as if it was hiding something away in the dark. I'm not so sure I want to know what that 'something' is either.

_Stupid Sakura,_ I thought, fingering the charm around my neck once again.

Pushing myself off the locker, I deceded that I may as well wonder through the hallways, what could possibly go wrong? Maybe I'll run into someone skipping class, or someone who has arrived late and ask them for help. That map I was handed made no sence, then again I was never good at reading maps. Now, left or right? Groaning in frustration I turned around, ready to bang my head into the lockers, when suddenly I heard footsteps. _I'm saved!_ I thought as I turned my head to my current left, where the sound was coming from. A dark figure was approaching, and from the looks of it, it was a girl.

"Stupid! Ugh... This ruins my perfect attendance and no tardy reputation!" She yelled as she was running down the hall.

Her eyes grew wide as saucers when she saw me standing in the hallway.

"New girl?" She asked.

I nodded slowly in response, even if that statement was only half true. She seemed nice enough and looked like an ideal student.

"Oh! I'm Hajime Sora. Just call me Sora... formalities make me look old." She said, rubbing her neck nervously.

"O-oh, uh, I'm Haruno Sakura." The last time I'd spoke with anyone my age was three years ago. I hope i didn't make it obvious enough for her to notice.

"Well, uh, Sakura-chan? I was informed of a new student coming in today! I'm part of the welcoming committee and I've been assigned to show you around the school."

Thank goodness! The school has some sense after all. I thought that I would have to spend my first day trying to find my way around.

"Oh... um, we barely have any new students, so this is kind of a big deal... and uh, where do you want to start?"

"Uh, how about my first class? I don't want to be super late." I suggested offering an awkward smile.

"Right!" Sora said snatching my schedule out of my hand, she jet down the hallway to the right gesturing for me to follow her.

Groaing I ran after her. I was so out of shape, I hadn't done much for exercise in the past three years. I didn't have a chance to, I wasn't allowed out of the house. My grandmother had always reasoned 'The darkness holds more monsters than you can count.' I wasn't a child, but I didn't argue with her. What was the point? She was stubborn and wouldn't give in no matter what I said. I turned around a corner only to find it empty, with the lighting dimmed.

"Great, I lost her," I said as I bent over with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. "Perfect."

I heard a door slam shut, and looking up I tried to find the source. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the door slamming shut had defiantly echoed down the hallway. There was a set of stairs at the end of the hallway, otherwise the hallway was completely bare. The stairs then. Slowly making my way towards the stairs, the only sound I heard now was made by my shoes hitting the ground softly. The stairs themselves had a fine layer of dust covering them, as if they hadn't been used for a while. There weren't any signs of them being used at all in at least the past year. Then what was that noise?

I walked up the stairs, leaving footprints in the dust, they had to lead to somewhere, right? They did lead somewhere. At the top of them there was an abandoned floor of the school. This part wasn't lit at all, and it was almost pit black. There was some light from the thundercloud covered sky but not much.

_Should I go up another flight? Even if someone did catch me, I couldn't get into trouble since it was my first day at Suna high and I was lost. Right?_

This starcase had even more dust piled up on it. Blocking off my nose, I started to walk up it, hoping this isn't one of those haunted buildings from the ghost stories. I sighed in relief when I reached a black, metal door at the other end. What if the principle was a nut case and this was his office? I smiled at the thought, no, this was a locked door. Opening the latch, I pushed the door open. My face met with cool air rushing in, blowing my hair back. Oh, this must be the rooftop. I stepped out to see that the gray thunder clouds looked ready to blow, a few rain drops already falling but the small amount made it very hard to detect them at all. That's not all there was though. Sitting on the edge of the building, was a figure. His legs were swung over the edge, the figure slumping. He was wearing a black sweater, contrasting with is flaming red hair. I didn't notice I was staring until he spoke up.

"Who are you? I've never seen you around." He said with a calm and raspy voice, there was a hint of a warning and demand it. It seemed he was used to being in charge. Something else was laced into his voice, it was barely noticeable... was it desolation?

I couldn't find my voice, even with my mouth open to speak, I could only stare. The man turned his head slightly, so the left half of his face was visible. My breath got caught in my throat. His eyes were a sea foam green, black bags lined his eyes, as if it had been done with eyeliner. His skin was pale, looking paper white, but the most catching feature was the Kanji on the left side of his forehead reading 'Love.' I would be lying if I said that he wasn't truly stunning, in fact, I would go as far as saying he was beautiful; but he also gave off a dangerous kind of aura. How'd he get here anyways? The stairs showed no sign of being used in a while. The door to the roof opened once again, and I turned to see Sora running up, panting, holding my schedule in her right hand.

"What are you doing up here!? It's dangerous!" she said, her voice and face laced with terror.

Turning back around, I noticed the boy wasn't there anymore.

"Sakura no one dares to come up here!" Sora said, suddenly appearing at my side. "Please! Come on! We need to leave, NOW!"

"H-huh? Why?" I asked looking around. How could he just disappear like that? It's physically impossible!

"Will you come if I tell you?" Sora was looking around too, as if to make sure no one was listening.

"Yes," I said nodding slowly.

"You deserve to know about it if you are going to be joining. The rest of the school does. No one dares to come up here, that guy's dangerous! Rumor has it he placed four guys in the hospital, all by himself! You should steer clear of him!"

My eyes grew wide. What?

"Red hair, pale green eyes, black bag under his eyes with a kanji on his forehead? His name is Gaara." Sora said.


	2. Chapter 2

Throughout the day, I found out that Gaara was in many of my classes, only he didn't show up at all. The students in my classes throughout the day so far seemed to be terrified of him, even the Sensei shivered as he called out his name from the class roster. At lunch, Sora pulled me along with her to the cafeteria. The table we were headed towards was full, but not everyone seemed to know each other. It was the normal lunch table; no cliched groups. No surprise there, this school was pretty small. Everyone was making small talk, exchanging words in a whisper.

"This is Shin. He's the other member of the welcoming committee." Sora said, pulling me down beside her.

Shin had cute black glasses that mismatched his hair. Not only that, he also wore a black beanie, it all seemed to contrast his unusually pale looking skin. A single piercing was placed on the right side of his bottom lip. He was sitting in front of Sora, and as soon as she pulled me down, he gave a small wave and a goofy grin; a blue Gatorade bottle in his left hand. I smiled back in response, while Sora looked almost displeased.

"Why is it so quiet in here today? It's usually worse than a stampede." Sora said, looking around at the students, as if waiting for them to do the flop any passing second.

Shin's grin disappeared and he placed the Gatorade bottle back onto the table, not moving his hand away.

"Haven't you noticed?" Shin's voice dropped, if that was even possible. "_He's_ in here for once, even though he hasn't even touched his tray. It's the first time in, like, forevere he even set foot in here. It's creating tension, duh!"

"What? Why?" Sora asked, her expression hardening as she looked over her shoulder.

In the corner, sat a small table occupied by three teenagers. One of them was a serious looking blonde girl, her hair was pulled up into four, spiky pigtails - her features were sharp. The other one was a guy with a tuft of brown hair and what appeared to be purple paint stained across his cheeks. The third annd last member was none other than the redhead I had met on the rooftop. Gaara. How was it that the whole school could be scared of a single guy? It's just a guy, and those are just a bunch of stupid rumors that could even be false!

"Anyways, this is Sakura. Haruno Sakura." Sora said, jerking my arm, forcing me to turn back around. "The new girl." She finished with a forced smile.

"Well, Shota already told you, but I'm Shin." He said proudly. "Anything you want to know about anyone? Anything? Just come and ask me. Of course everything come with a price, if you know what I mean." He winked as Sora scowled at the nickname.

Slightly rising from her seat, Sora slapped him across the head as I smiled nervously.

"Information is free for friends you idiot!" She said, glaring ar him but smiling in my direction as she sat down. "Shin's kind of like an information broker. He likes to keep tabs on what people call classified information throughout the school. Anything or anyone you want to know about, he's your guy."

I nodded. _Anyone?_ I thought. Before i could even open my mouth Sora sighed.

"I bet you want to know about that redhead, Gaara, correct?" She asked.

Was it that obvious? I mean, I wasn't trying to be some kind of crazy stalker or anything, but I was just curious, you know? There was something that... just seemed to draw me towards him, and I wanted to know what that was. Shin looked uncertain as he messed with his Gatorade bottle. Sora just kind of sat there, waiting for him to speak. I began to mess with the necklace around my neck, hoping that he would agree to tell me somthing, anything, as long as it's not gossip.

"He's the Mayor's son, see those two sitting with him? They're his siblings. Temari and Kankuro. All three of them were adopted, but not many people know that. Gaara scares the crap out of basically the whole town. They claim he comes from downstairs." Shin said, after letting out a sigh.

"Downstairs?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hello, minus the 'o'" Shin said, rolling his eyes.

"Hes strict on cussing." Sora said, smiling apologetically.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"Grandma Tsunade! I'm home!" I yelled, taking off my shoes.

The house was silent, like always, maybe she was tending to her flowers. I placed my backpack down on the tatami, my grandmother liked to stick to the old traditional Japanese ways, and i really respected her for that. It was all very insteresting, even most of the town stuck by the traditional ways. I walked to the back, nearing the shoji door of the living room. It was wide open, and sure enough, grandma was outside, tending to her flowers. I walked towards her, wanting to see what she was watering. She was watering roses. Red roses. They were in full bloom, the wind ruffling the petals.

"Come here Sakura," she said in a quiet voice, a soft smile on her face. I walked over quickly, I was in a habit of doing that when she called me. She looked frail enough to fall over any second, but she was stronger than she looked.

"What would happen if a shadow fell onto this rose?" She asked, her eyes never moving off of the flower, even if they were barely visible due to old age. I looked up at the sky where the sun was shining brightly, the false rain clouds cleared out.

"It would block the sun, right?"

She nodded, her face looked neutral as I waited for her to speak, holding my breath. She always seemed to speak in riddles, and I always wracked my brains to figure out what she meant, but it never really came to me.

"What would happen if the shadow blocked the sunlight for too long?" She asked, reaching out to stroke the dirt laying around the roses.

"Too long...? Wouldn't it die?" I asked, wondering where she was getting at.

"No matter how much water we give it, it will die if the sunlight can't reach it." Grandma turned around, and began walking back in, leaving me alone to stare after her.

What did she mean by that?


	3. Chapter 3

I stared at grandma Tsunade, tentatively. For the first time in ages, she had taken me out to the market. A woven basket rested in her arms, carrying many colorful kinds of fruits and vegetables. She smiled at anyone passing by, and everyone smiled back in return; Her reputation was way over the rooftop. Grandma Tsunade, for the fiftieth time, stopped at a small jewelers shack. There was no door, just and open area where th wall as a whole was supposed to be.

"Grandma...!" I whined, "I'm tired!"

I expected her to give an answer like 'hush child' or 'quiet down Sakura,' but instead she just ignored me. She was staring (at least I think she was...) listening intently to the story the owner was telling, smiling the whole time.

"Grandma...?" I tried again to get her attention.

Of course I got no answer from her. I sighed to myself, runnign my hand through my dyed black hair. I turned around, looking at the shops lining nearby. Fruits, vegetables, bread, jewelery, ink etc. There wasn't that much around here and certainly nothing interesting or note worhty. Why'd I agree to come with her. Roughly because I hadn't met anyone for the past three years. Then all of a sudden, she is letting me go to school and taking me out to the markets. Looking back over my shoulder, Grandma was still engaged into a conversation, browsing over the beads and many bracelets and charms while the owner kept on rambling on and on...

Turnign back around, I yawned. Is there such thing as stopping mid-yawn? If so it felt as if it had happened as soon as my eyes fell on the familiar red hair in the crowd. The people around seemed to have quieted down, but the conversation sprang back up as soon as he moved away. Without thinking, I ran forward, trying to trail him.

_Idiot! What are you thinking. You'll be dead if Grandma find out that you're tailing a supposed 'dangerous guy' in the middle of the market! Then you'll have to stay in the house for the rest of your life! I'll just shut up._

I ran behind a shack, seeing that he had done that two shacks over. Reaching the other side, i realized that the market was on top of a hill. A wooden gate blocked off the entrance from the main road. I walked down slowly, careful not to trip since it was actually quite steep. Where did Gaara disappear off to? I turned to glance in each direction. Again I saw another flash of red duck behind the fence. I began to run that direction as well, what if he got the wrong idea? Like I'm stalking him or something? I'm screwed if Grandma finds out anyways, so I'll just be stuck at home. Rounding a small curve, I saw that I had followed Gaara around the huge wooden gates. I found Gaara sitting against the gate, hit head leaning back and his eyes closed. In front of him lay the main road, I couldn't help but gape at the view. The road was basically abandoned, but the ground dropped off into another dip, leaving mountians visible i nthe distance and the horizon lined with trees. Suna was a flat land, I didn't understand how the market stood on a hill, but this was the border after all.

"Are you just going to stand there looking like a fish?" Gaara asked. His voice was ledd demanding this time, and even a little softer, but it still had that hint of faint danger. It took me a few seconds to register the face that he was actually talking to me.

"H-huh?"

"Do you need something?" He snapped, opening his eyes and turning his head slightly to face me.

I shook my head, moving back half a step. "N-no. Um... I'm Haruno, Sakura."

Gaara stilled stared back blankly, as if asking 'and your point is?' What had I expected to do when I met him anyways? What had i been planning to do...? I opened my mouth, trying to see if anything would leave my mouth. I stood there for a second, trying to gather my thoughts under the pressure of his light seafoam green eyes. Before I could though, there was another flash of green, and soon I felt something cold press into the side of my neck. Gaara was standing behind me, holding a switchblade up to my neck leaving a small trail of blood.

"Little girl..." He said slowly, his voice returning back to it's demanding tone. "I'll kill you."


	4. Chapter 4

"I'll kill you."

Gaara's holding a switchblade up to my neck, threatening to dig the blade into my neck. Never have I felt the same fear rising in my chest since the day I walked into my house back in Konoha only to see my dad holding onto a bloody knife; my mother laying on the ground dead, in a pool of her own blood. Suddenly Gaara hisses, withdrawing his hand away from neck. I turned around and took a few steps back as he dropped the switchblade. There was a _burn_ mark visible on the side of his hand. I touched my neck where grandfather's necklace was laying, with the charm of the cherry blossom dangling around my neck. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the necklace, seemingly concluding that the necklace was actually what burnt him. That doesn't even make sense though, right? I mean it's just a necklace...right? Grandma Tsunade's words floated back into my mind. '_This charm is sacred, it's meant to protect from evil or from just a vessel of evil._'

"That charm," Gaara said, picking up his switchblade, seemingly calm with a frown visible on his face. "Where did you get it?"

"H-huh?" I stuttered, picking the charm up between my fingers, noticing that it had actually grown slightly warm to the touch. "I-I've had it... since I was young." I lied; I'd only had it since moving here.

"Liar."

My eyes grew wide at the slight sense of irritation in his voice. I looked up, discovering that Gaara was standing right in front of me. I took a half step back.

"Why would you say that?" I managed not to stutter this time.

"You aren't older than me. I've seen that charm before, about five years ago. It wasn't you wearing it." He was staring me down. Now I noticed how tall he actually was, considering I only reached his chin.

"M-maybe it was another charm. The cherry blossom is pretty popular around this town!" I said, taking another half step back.

"There is only one of those." Gaara said, grunting as he turned to look back out towards the abandoned highway. "The othere are there just to give the civilians a sense of safety."

It grew quiet for a moment, only the wind howling. I couldn't help but stare at Gaara's hair. It almost looked like a flame dancing with the wind. I quickly looked away, before he could notice my stare. How long had I been here? I'm surely in trouble if Grandma Tsunade finds out that i ditched her just to follow a 'stranger.' Not only that, how was I supposed to explain the cut on my neck? Bringing my hand up to my neck, I was expecting to touch a wound. But there was no wound. In the past three years that I've spent at Grandma Tsunade's house, I've scraped my knee, gotten multiple paper cuts and even cut my finger while trying to play the knife game. I've felt that pain, I've had to go through the process until it was recovered. Never once in that period of time, have I felt the pain, but not had a wound show up. It was only this once; when Gaara held up the switchblade. I felt the pain...but it left no mark or wound. The charm seemed to have just worked up against Gaara, of all people.

"U-um... How do you know that... this charm was the same one, it could've been a different one." I said, glancing over at Gaara once more.

"No. It's the same one." He said turning around, his eyes resembling saucers. The frown never left his face, in fact he to be scowling in annoyance.

"How do you kno-" I tried to say, only to be interupted by Gaara.

"Simple. That charm from five years ago... it also burned me.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

_This charm is sacred, it's meant to protect from evil or from just a vessel of evil._

"Sakura, bring me the basket, would you?"

Grandma Tsunade's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced to my left to see that the basket wasn't too far off from the back door. I got up, walking towards the basket. Grandma Tsunade hadn't seemed that worried when she noticed that I had disappeared. I told her that I had seen someone I recognized from school, which was actually true. Grandma Tsunade just assumed it was a friend of mine ( after staring me down for about a full minute she gathered that I was telling the truth). I picked up the basket, yawning. I headed outside, knowing full well what the basket was for. Once the flowers had died, Grandma would often pick them up and let them drift off into the river. I never really knew why, but I guess when she want to tell me I'll be waiting for her riddles as to why she does it. I crouched down beside her, watching her hum to herself while cutting the selective head flowers off of their stems. She left some alone; some from the same bush. She cut off another rose, careful not to touch the thorns around it.

"Look Sakura; do you suppose the throns cut in self-defense, or just cut when you try to get near the stem or flower?"

Oh...another riddle, I didn't give it too much mind, but I did have to think for a second.

"It cuts when you get near it, right?"

Grandma nodded, pursing her lips. "What do you suppose? This is a case different from what I told you this morning. This rose cuts anything coming near it, why do you think it does that?"

I got the feeling that she was actually confused on the answer herself. The meaning I wasn't so sure of either. A flower has throns, just to make sure no one plucks it from the ground, right? If someone tried to pluck it out carelessly, they'd cut themselves in the process. Then what did Grandma mean? The way she brought it on, I never really thought of it that way. Shaking my head slowly I replied.

"I don't know... What do you think?" It was rare for Grandma to give me a straight answer, but it was worth a try. Grandma sighed before standing up.

"I'm not so sure either. Maybe one day you'll be able to tell me." She replied.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day at school, Gaara didn't show up. I did kind of feel disappointed, but I also felt relieved at the same time. I found myself wondering who exactly this Gaara character was. Did I really want to know? Silently, I began to mess with the charm around my neck, like I always did when I get worked up for no reason. Today, school hadn't seemed so bright. I found Gaara's siblings staring at me in between classes or during lunch. It was the perfect reason to keep me nervous all day and to turn and look over my soulder every five minutes. They weren't smiling, or scowling, just wore blank faces, but they didn't look all that happy either. I didn't do anything though! I swear!

Walking home from school, I couldn't help but get the feeling of being watched. I tried to shake it off, I mean, I've been stuck in a house for three years, so maybe I'm just overreacting to finally getting out. Kinking a pebble into a nearby stream, I fasten my pace. So I may be overreacting, but the feeling is still creepy. I turned around an empty ruin, that once used to be a house. _Crack!_ I head a twig snap behind me. I ran once again; someone was following me after all! I turned around another corner of old ruins. Whoever they were, they obviously knew that I had noticed them. They quickened their pace, not bothering to cover up their footsteps anymore. If this keeps up, I'm either foing to be dead, or kidnapped, or both!

I'm already running short on breath, if only I could get to the other side of the ruins, where the trees are, maybe I could hide, or something like that. Keeping that in mind, I trudged on nearing the last corner I needed to round. As soon as I turn down the corner though, I felt a yank on my arm, pulling me into the set of ruins. A hand slapped over my mouth, pushing me up against the stone wall. Screaming was a natural instinct, but my mouth was covered, and I relized that the person was actually saving me.

Breathing through my nose, I tried to catch my breath, I leaned back against the stone, closing my eyes as I panted. My 'stalker' walked into the trees, thinking that I had disappeared into them. My stalker had been a girl with short brown hair, wearing tight black attire with pale skin. I didn't recognize her from school, but she looked about my age... other than the fact that she had a huge butcher knife in her hand, with a katana hanging on her back. ...I was _that_ close to dying... just like that time three years ago, when my dad murdered my mother...

Whoever my saver had been, let go of me as soon as they were sure she was gone. I didn't move from the wall, afraid my knees might give out under me if I did. Taking a shaky breath, I looked up, realizing my saviour had moved into the light. It was Gaara. Just like his siblings from earlier, he wasn't scowling nor frowning. Why was he so calm after a near death situation...?

"W-who was that?" I couldn't help it as the words tumbled out of my mouth. "Wh-why was she t-trying to kill me?! I haven't done anything!"

Gaara loked outside, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "She's an assassin," he stated rather bluntly, as if it was an everyday thing.

"An assassin?" I stared, dumbfounded at the claim this man was making.

Gaara didn't move his eyes off the setting sun outside. "Yes. She wasn't after you, rather the charm you carry. Someone else must've been present yesterday, and saw what happened. The original charm burnt my hand, you have the charm, so the news must've been spread... between them anyways."

"Burned you? Why would they want the necklace then? Wouldn't they rather get rid of it? You're the Mayor's son aren't you?" I said, looking outside, just to make sure the woman was gone for sure.

Gaara had an amused twinkle in his eyes, despite the newly forming scowl on his face. "You've certainly done your research despite being stuck in that old house for the past three years." My cheeks turned a light pink, in embarrassment. Studying me for a full minute, he pinched the bridge of his nose, deciding that it was worth telling me. "My father sent them."

_What?! _I though, as I stumbled back a step.

A small and insane, but bitter sort of smile was stretching across Gaara's face. "My father wants the charm. Can you guess why? If a smile touch burned me, suppose what the charm itself can do."

I slapped a hand over my mouth, gasping. "B-but that's crazy! Why would your own dad...?" _Just like my dad..._

Gaara removed his hand from his face, looking me straight in the eyes with his twisted smile falling off his face. "My father? You ask why? Why would you question the intentions of the man who has countless times tried to have me killed? The man who sent an unbelievable number of assassins to have me assassinated?"

I could only stand there and stare with eyes wide, my senses falling numb all of a sudden. His... own dad... trying to assassinate him...?

"W-why? Why do they all... hate you?" I asked in a soft tone, my head lowered to stare at the ground in front of me. "That's... crazy..."

"You're too naive. I've warned you before, I won't hesitate to kill you."

I looked up, not at all fazeed by his previous words. "Kill me, huh? Last time I checked, you can't even touch me without burning yourself. The charm; what's so special about it anyways?"

Gaara blinked, pinching the bridge of his nose again, as if answer me would be the last thing he would want to do.

"You're naive. The charm protects." Gaara looked up from his hand, the setting sun gleaming off of him in a graceful manner. "In fact, it's the only thing protecting **you **from **me**."


	6. Chapter 6

"Sakura, be sure to wear your best Kimono tonight, don't come looking like a tornado hit you." Grandma Tsunade said, stepping out into the open, handing me a traditional fan.

"You've told me this before..." I grumbled, fixing the crinkle out of my red Kimono. Flower designs spread across it loosely, my hair pulled back into a bun that Grandma Tsunade had fixed for me. She had also covered my cheeks in a light blush, can't say I approve it too much, but I went along with it anyways. Golden Kanzashi stuck in my hair, matching the fan, had taken the shape of a large flower and a smaller one to match. Using mascara, the edge of my eyes had been pointed up in a catlike manner. Grandma nodded in approval, a small smile on her face.

"You look like a fine young woman," she commented. "I remember giving that Kanzashi to your mother, sher treasured it more than anything."

I flinched at the mention of 'mother, Grandma Tsunade brought it up on normal circumstances, claiming that my mother would want the same. It's the only thing mother had feared; to be forgotten. Humming to herself, Grandma Tsunade looked outside, her smile dropping immediately.

"Oh dear... to think they would schedule this event on such a night. A full moon. Even the graveyard flowers seem to droop on such nights." Grandma shook her head, displeased.

"Event? What's this about?" I asked, confused.

As soon as I had reached home, Grandma Tsunade had shoved me into my room, demanding that I change into my best attire. I didn't get to ask, but apparently, it _was _supposed to take me till night to get ready. some kind of event was planned for tonight, by the mayor.

"Hurry now, we have to get going."

Grandma Tsunade hurried out of the house and into the could, but brightly lit night. Colorful lanturns lit the paths, the streets half empty. Not wanting to get lost, I hurried out after her, hoping this was nothing too serious.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

A crowd had immediately formed around Grandma Tsunade as soon as we entered the place. It was out in the open, a clear field, with dishes of all sorts filling the place, many people I recognized from school as well. Leaving Grandma Tsunade be, I hurried after Sora and Shin. Sora was complaining about her black Kimono and how she didn't even want to be here. Shin looked like he didn't want to be near Sora at the current moment, but he was gawking at... passing guys?

"Shin! I don't care if you aren't interested in girls, just quit gawking at guys in the open like that!" Sora said, slapping Shin in the back of the head.

Many people were looking at them with curious glances now. Sweat dropping, I held up my fan to cover the bottom half of my face so they couldn't recognize me, and started to head in the opposite direction.

"Tsunade, it's been a while since you came out of the house." Someone commented. I wasn't trying to listen in, I was just kind of standing around, trying to find somthing to do. I didn't want to be here anymore. I never wanted to come in ther first place.

"Such an event...today..? Such an ominous night Tsunade. They say a full moon night makes him crave blood with an intensity," another muttered in a low voice, as if wanting no one else to hear. My eyes grew wide at the last bit of information. Who were they talking about? Who gets blood thirsty?

"Attention everyone!" A man yelled from the front, trying to get everyone to shush. Suddenly, everyone was rushing around to find a seat. Grandma Tsunade's hand clasped around my shoulder firmly, pulling me down beside her. Out in the front stood the Mayor, along with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. Not only that, but behind the Mayor stood the girl from earlier; the one who had tried to kill me. I covered up my gasp, her face appeared white, excluding her red cheeks. She wore a white Kimono, with Sakura blossoms covering the surface, she was staring at the ground in a shy-like manner, with a small smile visible on her face. It's like she was a totally different person.

"It has come time to fulfill a promise to an old friend of mine." The Mayor, a man in his late middle ages, said. "Hirosaki, the pack between two friends, it still remains." He bowed down to the man who had called our attention. I took a peek at Grandma, not knowing who they were talking about. A frown had etched itself onto her face, but she stared ahead never lossening her posture, even when the murmurs broke out through the crowd.

"He's making a mistake..." Grandma muttered all of a sudden. "This will never work, not with that soft hearted daughter of Hirosaki and someone like him."

"Three months from now, Takara Mitsumi, daughter of Takara Hirosaki, will wed my son on his birthday." The Mayor explained, seeing the look on the Suna residents faces. Wait a second, did he say _wed_? My eyes grew wide, and I almost dropped my fan. _Wed?_ I haven't known anyone in this town that long, but I know that both of his sons. Gaara and Kankuro, were around my age, leaving them to be fifteen or sixteen at most.

"I am here to announce the marriage of my son, Gaara, with Mitsumi."

As in the assassin that was tring to kill me this morning and is supposedly after Gaara?! Gaara walked forward, the girl from earlier, Mitsumi, following, never moving her eyes from the ground or dropping the smile etched onto her face. The smile almost seemed fake to me, but it seemed to fool everyone else around me.

"My son has a month to decide if he is ready to be tied down yet." Nervous laughter rang out through the crowd at their adult humor, only the Mayor and his friend, Hirosaki, were booming with laughter. "Otherwise, Mitsumi will be marrying my older son, Kankuro."

Those words went unnoticed by me as I stared at Mitsumi's face for any sort of reaction, other than her fake smile. Did she agree to this? To be treated like a toy? If the younger brother doesn't want her, than she goes to the older one without a choice? What is she? A puppet?

As the Mayor dismissed everyone to enjoy the festival, I couldn't help but glare at Gaara. Even through the thick crowd, as if he had sensed me or something, he was looking straight at me, was his usual frown etched onto his face. He cocked his head tp the side slightly, as if he found me amusing or something. Annoyed and irritated, I began to walk into the huge crowd, hoping that he would lose track od me and quit his staring. I wanted to be alone, or run into Mitsumi. I don't care if she was trying to kill me this morning, I wanted to know if she really was okay with this. Assassin or not, she was still a girl, like me, before an assassin, presumably my age, fifteen, as well.

Pushing past the thick crowd, I eventually reached a place less crowded. Walking further I came to a spot completely deserted. Over looking a lake, the Japanese paper lanterns still hung around from strings protruding out from Sakura Trees. They reflected in the water. I leaned over the railing, the glare ceasing from my face.

"Why were you glaring at me?"

_Oh great, I hadn't lost him after all._

I sighed. "Do you really care? It's not like my opinion would change anything anyways."

Appearing seemingly calm, he answered without missing a single beat. "You're right."

I sweat dropped. He could _almost_ match the definition of a jerk. Mitsumi. I was wondering how she felt about the marriage. She's not a rag doll, she's still a human... even if she tried to kill me this morning." I grimanced at the thought, knowing full well that I might've been dead already, had Gaara not shown up when he did.

"...I don't get it. You speak as if you've know each other since birth. F-friends..."

Alarmed at the thought of Gaara stuttering, I turn around in a hurry, only to discover that he was currently clutching his head, as if the word 'friend' was poisonous. In that moment, I hadn't noticed the my fan had been opened, and had also left a small cut on my finger. Gaara's head snapped up as a drop of blood trailed down my finger and dropped onto the ground. It was as if her heard the blood hitting the ground.

"On the night... of a full moon... he craves..." Gaara said, still clutching his head as he walked forward a step, never moving his eyes away from my index finger. "He... craves..."

My eyes grew wide as I recalled what I had heard someone telling Grandma Tsunade, and reminisced Grandma Tsunade's words from earlier.

"That's quite enough." Grandma's smooth words rang through the chilly air, freezing Gaara in place. "Son, you best head back to your father. It seems that it's time for Sakura and I to leave." I touched my Sakura blossom charm in relief, letting out the breath I hadn't know I was holding in.

"He... craves... blood..." Gaara finished. As soon as he saw me fingering the charm, he grit his teeth, and for the first time, appreared to be annoyed.

"Sakura," Grandma Tsunade said, raising her voice slightly, frowing disapprovingly at Gaara. "Let's go."


	7. Chapter 7

"I say he'll marry her... and then she'll turn up dead on day 3." Shin whispered, looking around as meticulously as if he expected someone to jump out at him any second. Once he was sure no one was around, he looked over at Sora and I, as if challenging us to go against his words.

"No," Sora said, impervious to Shin's glare. "I think he'll go along with it just because. Maybe she'll show up dead, maybe she won't. Mitsumi has always been more on the gentle side, she'll even out Gaara's... _roughness,_ but we don't know if she'll kill herself off in the process."

Sora questerd towards Mitsumi, who was sitting by herself in the corner of the library with huge book piles covering her desk, reading glasses on her nose. Turning back to my book, I tried not to affiliate myself into their conversation. I hadn't said a word to anyone since this morning. It was already the last class of the day, study group, basically free period, because no teachers watched over us...at least in Suna.

"What do you think?" Sora asked, her voice causing everyone to look in out direction.

The livrarian coughed to get Sora's attention, before glaring at her to tell her to shut up. Sora gave her a not-so-apologetic look before returning her attention back to me. Only then did I realize she was talking to me.

"U-um...what's with the whole 'On full moon nights, he craves blood' stuff about?" I asked instead.

The question had been weighing on my mind ever since last night. Grandma Tsunade wouldn't answer, in fact, it's like she was in a whole different world. She kept mumbling to herself what almost sounded like an old ancient prayer of some sort. I immediately quit asking once she began to question whether sending me to school had been the right thing to do.

Shin's face paled. "Wh-where'd you hear that kind of crap from?"

Sora was not too far behind him either. She had taken in a sharp intake of breath, slamming her book shut in the process. Once again, the librarian gave us a skeptical glance, as if debating whether to throw us out or not. I tried to appear neutral and like I was nonchalant towards the subject.

"Oh, nothing. Just something I heard the elders talking about at the festival last night." I said, shrugging. "Random thought you know."

Sora sighed. "Don't read too much into that stuff, okay? Just old rumors and legends that the old people believe in. Demon spirits and stuff like that to scare kids so they shut up and doze off at night. Nothing real."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Walking home after school, I spotted Mitsumi. I started to run towards her, not really having a thought in my mind about what I was going to say. It's like she heard me coming. Though I suppose she could with being an assassin and all. She stopped, and turned around, giving me a small smile. Not a fake one either, but a real smile. It's like she doesn't even remember trying to kill me, or just chose to ignore it.

"Hi, er, Sakura right? I'm sorry, I'm not very good when it comes to names. I think I saw you at the festival last night..." she said hiding her grimance, and smiling once again.

"Um... hey... are you... you know... okay with this marriage?" I asked, shutting my eyes tight, silently cursing myself for getting straight to the point.

I was waiting for her to magically take out her katana and slice my neck in half. The dirt path was cleared away and the only thing that could be heard was the wind howling. I opened one eye tentatively, only to see that Mitsumi had a shocked expression on her face, her eyes wide. I sighed in relief, that must mean I'm safe right? It didn't look like she had any weapons on her anyways.

"You're seriously the first to ask..." she said, staring at me incredulously.

In the next moment, just like that, Mitsumi was on her knees on the ground, face in her hands, sobbing loudly. She didn't care that her pants and legs were getting dirty.

"WAHHHH! I never wanted to marry that no good son of a bitch! I'm only fifteen!"

_I made an assassin cry, she's just a girl like me after all._

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

In the exact same place as yesterday, when Mitsumi had attacked me, Gaara stood. It's like he was waiting for me, his backpack slung over his left shoulder as he leaned against the ruins. I tried to walk fast, trying to relay the fact that I was trying to head home. It's still there though, the odd feeling that seemed to draw me towards him. I don't know what it is, but I do want to know.

"Hn," he grunted, to get my attention, as he easily caught up to me. "..."

"What is it...? Did you need something?" I asked, never once faltering in my step.

"I'm not sure..." Gaara muttered, in his gruff voice. "I get the odd sensation that you may hold that answers to my questions but... that can't be right. I'm not confused about anything, am I?" It seemed like Gaara was talking to himself, biting my lip, I just let him continue on. "What is it about you...? What is it that's so different...?"


	8. Chapter 8

The whole next week, Gaara was not at school at all, but Mitsumi had started to hang out with Shin, Sora and I. The first thing Shin did was pinch her cheeks and call her cute. Mitsumi got a little creeped out, since she wasn't used to people calling her cute. So Sora had to explain that Shin was so into guys it shouldn't bother her. Of course it caused a disruption in class when Gaara showed up to school after nine days. Back from his trip to Konoha. Gaara... he seemed different. No, not physically. He had the same sea foam green eyes, the same flaming red hair, the same black bags under his eyes, the same Kanji on his forehead. When he spoke, however, the edge to his voice was no longer there, neither was the tone of superiority. A small real smile was etched onto his face as he greeted the class. Politely.

Sora sucked in her breath. "Shin, how much you wanna bet that the demon took over, since Gaara was mentally unstable anyways?"

Mitsumi swallowed. "That's no light matter! The town is doom if Gaara lost to him!"

"Huh? What are you guys saying?" I asked, completely confused. "I have the right to know, especially since I have technically lived here for the past three years!"

Shin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The reasson so many people avoid Gaara is because to 'protect' the village from harm, when Gaara was born a demon spirit was sealed inside of him. So his view on human race is kind of... messed up. He believes he exists to kill since everyone now thinks of him as a weapon anyways. It's the reason his 'father' has tried to annihilate him so many time. They are starting to think Gaara is too powerful, and only getting stronger."

I gasped. "T-that's cruel! Why would they do something like that?!"

Sora sighed. "It was supposed to be out trump card in case we got attacked. Of course there are more Jinchuriki hosts out there. Gaara though, is a little different. Id he loses control of his mind, and the demon ever takes over, we're all doomed. For that very reason, it's deemed that Gaara doesn't sleep at night, otherwise the demon would take over his mind."

Mitsumi had latched onto my arm again, her bottom lip quivering. "I-I don't want to marry him!" she insisted. "He's scary! I'd rather marry that weird guy who's obsessed with puppets and dolls!"

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

At the end of school, I was walking down the empty hallway once again. Mitsumi had ran down this hallway, I don't know why, but she urged me to keep following her. She says that I'm her best friend and best friends don't keep secrets. Yes, I met my supposed 'best friend' when she was out to assassinate me.

"Mitsumi!" I whispered, my voice echoing down the empty halls.

I wonder what kind of business she had down this hallway, I probably wouldn't even have found this hallway on the first day of school if I hadn't tried to follow Sora. For some reason, I always ended up in this hallway when someone wants me to follow them. I huffed, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the darkness around me. Mitsumi was trained to move through darkness, so I guess it was easy for her. In the past week I learned that not only was she an assassin, but she was actually a top secret assassin during 'work hours.' Other than that, she was just a normal girl who acted childish, loved anything cute, but hated the color pink. Her favorite food was dango, and she'd do anything to get them.

"MITSUMI!" I whined once again, hoping that she would answer at least.

"Sakura," a familiar voice greeted me instread. I turned my head to see that I hadn't been alone after all. Standing alone in the dark, casually, was the one I had been avoiding the whole day, just because it felt right somehow.

"U-um...! H-hi, uh... Gaara!" I stuttered.

Pushing himself off the wall, Gaara approached me. I looked around for any form of escape. Mitsumi? No. Run like there was no tomorrow? Eh, with the amount I've been running in the past three years, he's bound to catch up.

"U-uh... long time no see!"

Wait... why'd I say that? It's only been a week.

"Sakura." Gaara repeated. "I met someone... on my trip to Konoha. He... reminds me of you in a way." Gaara cocked his head slightly. "He showed me someting. Something about the importance of friends."

"Um..." I said, shifting nervously from foot to foot, not sure how to react. Why's he telling me this? Of all the people he could've chosen? Not that I mind... I kind of felt... special? Gaara never seemed to talk to anyone, but that all changed in less than two weeks. It made me curious as to who he met in Konoha.

"I don't want to be used as a weapon anymore. I want to be important to someone." Gaara concluded.

I stood there, frozen at his words. Gaara was a very peculiar person indeed, and I guess that's why I was drawn to him. It still leaves the unanswered question though. Why's he telling me this? My heart thumped in my chest and I finally found the courage to speak.

"Wh-why are you telling me t-this?" I asked, once again playing with the charm around my neck out of habit.

"I want to have friends, and you are the only one I know I won't hurt for sure, for now. I don't want to be thought of as a weapon, I want to be important to someone. So, it's for that very reason that i need you... help." Gaara muttered, looking me straight in the eyes. "I feel you can help tame the monster inside of me."


	9. Chapter 9

I sucked in a breath. "The market...?"

"Is there something wrong?" Gaara asked, speaking up from beside me.

I had pointed out to him if he wants to be important to someone, he needs to learn ot be himself first... which meant activities that he enjoyed. I figured that he rarely liked to leave he is during daylight, he didn't seem to like company. Then again, why'd he come to me otherwise? I shook my head, smiling a little.

"No, nothing. What do you want to do first? Look around?" Gaara nodded and walked forward. I walked hastily to catch up to him.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you like this place so much?"

"It gives me a sense of peace... it used to anyways. I had learned to take pleasure in seeing others cower slightly as I passed. It's been like that... ever since I was born." Gaara kept on walking, but had moved his focus to the ground. "All of them..."

It was like I was seeing a whole different side to Gaara. The lonely and desolate side, the one he was trying to hide, the one side that puzzled him. I tried to smile.

"H-hey, not anymore right? If you want people to accept you and you are ready to go through the obstacles, then you're already halfway there." I assured him.

He nodded, but kept quiet as we walked around, looking at nothing in particular. "Sakura... you were inside that house for three years all alone, why is that?"

I looked up, eyes widening at the question, the same on I had been trying to avoid. I thought of lying or brushing off the subject completely, only to realize that Gaara trusted me with... basically what he really feels and confronted me about this character he met in Konoha. Seemed a little out of character for him, so it made me wonder again, who had he met in Konoha?

I swallowed, looking away. "Grandma Tsunade didn't feel it was safe when I moved here three years ago... she never told me why." I muttered under my breath, careful not to bring up the fact that it didn't seem to be because Grandma Tsunade was scared of what was trapped inside of Gaara.

"Why would you move to a town like Suna?"

"A-ah! That! Um... well... my dad kind of went on a rampage and killed my mother..." I whispered, in a very quiet tone, to make sure that no one else could hear me. I barely knew Gaara, but there was a gut feeling in my stomach, one that told me I could trust him. The words had tumbled out of my mouth before i could stop them, and I slepped my hand over my mouth.

"Hm? Is that so...?" Gaara stopped in his tracks and I realized that we had come to a less crowded area in the market.

"What is it?" I asked him in a surprisingly calm and steady voice. It felt like we'd been friends for ages. Gaara was staring ahead, at the setting sun, with his hands inside of his pockets.

"Sakura...? What do friends mean to you? Are we... friends?"

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"Grandma Tsunade, what makes a friend a friend? A true friend?" I sat at the kotatsu, eating dinner with Grandma Tsunade.

Grandma Tsunade didn't even look up from food and her took her time to chew and swallow the rice in her mouth. "What made you think of such a question?"

"Just... hanging out with a friend who aske me the same thing." I answered casually.

"Calling this person a friend without first knowing what a friend is?" Grandma looked up, making me shrink back slightly.

Why hadn't I thought of that before? I assume she was looking at me as she began her next sentence.

"A friend...you hear the old stuff about someone sticking with you through good and bad, and they are your true friend. Have you considered this, it's someone who is willing to explore the paths of life, be it right or wrong, with you? Not only being with them through good and bad times makes you a good friend, but being able to show them the right path in life or to act as a guide, or even to help each other through the problems that others don't want to associate themselves with. Think of a flower... and rain."

"Eh...?"

All I could do was stare blankly at Grandma. Back in Konoha you would get a cmpletely different answer if you asked someone or even if you searched up the words 'define friends.' As for the other riddle... I'll ignore that for the time being; I've learned to do that.

Grandma sighed. "Baka. So who is this friend you speak of?"

I Irked slightly at Grandma's insult, I always used to giggle at her choice of words and believed that her words were set in stone and happened to be correct. Especially when I 'accidently' end up eavesdropping on some of her visitors, she would call them 'Baka' and that would silence everyone. I let out my breath as if letting go of that moment of when I got called a baka.

"A _friend _had asked me the same question. He wanted to know if we were really friends."

"What did you tell him?" Grandma went back to eating, staring down at her plate. She didn't try to pry on the 'he' part and didn't bother to ask the name.

"I told him that we were friends." I said, shrugging as i continued eating my dinner.

"You did, did you? Has your answer changed not that I have placed my input of a true friend in?"

I shook my head immediately, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Oh no. I went with my gut feeling fron the beginning, and believe me, I have no intention of letting go of him now. Not until I help him to get onto the 'right path.' We'll walk together down any path until we find the right one..._together._"


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, Gaara, what do you think of Mitsumi...? Do you want to marry her? Like, at this age? Wouldn't you rather wait till you are older?"

Gaara looked up. "It isn't my decision. My guess is that even Mitsumi is being thrown into this." Gaara and I were sitting at the abandoned highway road where I had first followed him.

Today, there was a slight wind that picked up the dirt off of the streets, but I didn't mind. I could see why Gaara found it peaceful. Just staring off into the faraway trees that had surrounded themselves in fog, along with the leafs that rolled around in the wind, it was perfect.

"Can't you wait until you're older?" I asked. Being tied down at this age? Heck, I wouldn't even want to be tied down at the age of sixty.

"If it's in the best intrest of the village, I can't turn it down. Besides..." Gaara stared down at the ground. "... My father just died recently."

"D-died? H-how!?" I sat there staring in disbelief at Gaara, who appeared neutral. I couldn't tell what he was feeling, his face appeared blank.

"It's not that big of a deal... we weren't really that close, it doesn't bother me. Have I become a monster?" Gaara muttered the last question to himself. I opened my mouth to protest. He _wasn't _a monster! He was trying to redeem himself, he was like a child! Before I could speak, Gaara continued. "We need a new leader... and they are looking at me as a candidate."

My eyes grew wide, and a smile appeared on my face.

"Wow, Gaara! This is great, you know what this means?" I jumped up, leaning down so I could be eye level with Gaara. "They're beginning to trust you already! It's the first step to redeeming yourself! This is great news! Oh my gosh, why haven't you told me before, future _Lord Kazekage!_?" I continued to jump up and down, turning in circles chanting to myself that my friend was going to be they next Kazekage. A small smile appeared on Gaara's features.

"I said candidate. You appear more happy then I am about the decision." he remarked, shaking his head slightly. The news about the death of the previous Kazekage was old news now, already forgotten.

"We should eat ice cream! My treat!" I fist-pumped the air. I began to pull Gaara up and off the ground, trying to drag him with much success. "We have to celebrate!"

Finally giving in, he stood up. "You'll get sick Sakura." he replied in a calm voice. He wasn't supposed to point out the weather! That'll just ruin the whole mood!

"Pfft, as if I, the Great Kazekage's friend, would catch something as pathetic as a small cold." I replied in a sassy voice, rolling my eyes in a dramatic manner.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"ACHOOO!" I covered my mouth and nose, throwing away my empty plastic cup of Dippin' Dots in a nearby trashcan. Gaara found it amusing, and didn't hide it either. He was walking beside me in a long sleeved red and black striped shirt, the cold not bothering him at all, with his leather jacket hung over his shoulder.

"Quit laughing!" I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

Gaara cocked his head in an innocent manner. "Laughing? I'm not laughing. Why would I find it funny if a friend was claiming that she is immune to colds, catched one in the next thirty minutes? It's actually very tragic... wouldn't you agree?" Now he was definitely mocking me.

I pushed him playfully. "Very funny. Seriously dude, quit laughing."

"I'm not laughing!" Gaara insisted.

I looked away rubbing my hands together, not convinced at his little display. Lies, they all were. We went on like that for a while, not talking and just listening to the wind swishing back and forth, bringing leaves along in small tornadoes. Suddenly, something warm was placed over my shoulders. Confused I glanced over at Gaara, who looked almost uncomfortable at the situation.

"You were freezing so..."

He had given me his leather jacket. I smiled, hugging it close and inhaling the scent unwillingly. I stopped in my tracks, inhaling the scent again without meaning to. It didn't reek of blood like people told me. It smelled slightly of peppermint, rain and the wind, does the wind even have a scent?

"It smells just like you." I commented, only realizing a few seconds later I had voiced my thoughts out loud. "Not to sound like a creepy stalker or anything..." I added quickly.

Gaara chuckled as he saw me blush and look away. "So it doesn't smell like blood?" he asked. "What did you expect?"

The blush didn't go away as I replied. "N-no... it doesn't smell of blood. It's smells like peppermint and slightly like rain or petrichor with a splash of... uh... wind, I guess... HEY! - I can't describe it okay? I didn't even know what to expect!" I looked away once again, burying my head into the jacket so he couldn't see my red cheeks.

"Hmm... I would've never guessed." Gaara replied thoughtfully. "I don't smell like blood to you?"

"Why would you?" I asked kicking a rock nearby. "Sure it smells slightly metallic like, but that makes it more comforting... because you have a scent completely different from thos normal disgusting smelling sweaty humans."

"Why would I smell of blood...?" Gaara came to a halt, forcing me to follow him as well. "Sakura." he started. "I hope you know what I really am... and the full details with the full moon nights. Even if I can't hurt you, you must know this. You deserve to know this." It didn't seem like he wanted to tell me. "There's a full moon tomorrow night."

"Uh..." I stared at him blankly. "Yeah... I know what is trapped inside of you, that doesn't make you and him, or her, the same thing though, and uh... what's the deal with this full moon thing anyways? It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I mean, it's doesn't really seem like you want to tell me, so I'll trust your judgement." I said, shrugging as I started to skip ahead. I'm not sure I wanted to know either. I just wanted to be his friend!

Gaara grabbed my wrist before I even got two feet ahead of him. "Sakura. On full moon nights, even if that charm is protecting you, I can't be around even you. The Shukaku, the demon sealed within me... on full moon nights, he craves blood. I'll lose control and kill anyone in my path, all to satisfy his needs."

"Lalalalala, I can't hear you!" I said, covering my ears with my hands, the howling wind helped in pretending that I hadn't heard him. He tried to shout over the winds, but I simply continued to press my hands to my ears firmly.

"SAKURA!" Gaara grabbed my hands and pulled them off of my ears, leaning over he shoved them behind my back and continued to repeat the same thing. "I could kill you on a full moon night. It's the one night that the Shukaku demands blood!"

"I DON'T CARE, YOU ARE NOW MY FRIEND AND SOMEONE AS STUPID AS THE SHUKAKU CAN'T KEEP ME AWAY! I'LL HUNT HIM DOWN AND RETURN HIM TO WHEREVER HE CAME FROM IF HE KEEPS ME AWAY FROM YOU! YOU WERE LONELY, I GET IT. SO I'M NOT LEAVING YOU! FULL MOON NIGHT OR NOT!" I broke my hands free from his grip and pushed him away. He didn't object, nor could I see his face.

I ran home, remembering my promise to Grandma Tsunade. I told her I wouldn't leave him alone. He wouldn't be facing the shukaku alone. I'm his friend. His friend. I wouldn't be leaving him alone in the good or the bad. In the past three years that I've been isolated in Grandma Tsunade's house, I've learned how important friendship is to me. To leave Gaara alone like he's been for his whole life, before he went to Konoha, it was not an option, at all. As the familiar shape of home came into view, I realized I still had Gaara's jacket on. It gave me a reason to go see him tomorrow anyways. I grinned, inhaling the familiar and warm scent the jacket gave off. Call me crazy, I still couldn't get over the fact that Gaara could be the next Kazekage.


	11. Chapter 11

"Shin, Sora and... Mitsumi?" I stared at the trio in front of me that Grandma had let into my room with a tray of sweets, after she'd fully inspected Shin until he finally gave in and told her that he wasn't into girls. At all.

"That's a lovely 'hello' you got there." Sora commented sarcastically, sitting down in front of me dropping her bag onto the floor. "You haven't been hanging around lately, so we decided to pay a visit." She smiled goofily. "If you don't remember, hi, I'm Sora."

I face-palmed. "And I'm Sakura. Idiot, how i can i forget you guys? You are kind of hard to forget."

Mitsumi and Shin sat down as well, Shin clearing his throat. "Well, on account of being you friend and the information broker, who doesn't give out information on friends BTW, where have you been?"

I grinned. " I made a new friend!" I explained. "I was about to head out to go see him, until you guys cam along, I have to return something to him."

"Mitsumi whistled staring out my window. "I'd hurry if I were you. It's about to rain. Even the insects outside have become quiet. A thunderstorm is brewing outside, and it doesn't look too pretty."

Sora slapped Mitsumi on the back of the head. "Idiot! She can't, it's a full moon tonight. Do you know what that means? No one is allowed outside... or suggested not to go outside anyways. We're a different case because we have the charms." Sora said, pulling at a charm that looked like a clone of mine.

I remembered Gaara's word, they were just made to give the citizens a sense of security, only mine was real. So it was technically dangerous for them to be out there as well. At least according to them, Gaara wasn't dangerous at all, rather he was misunderstood.

"Mmm, then it's fine for me as well." I said, pulling out my charm and showing them.

Mitsumi glanced at the clock. "OH GOSH LOOK AT THE TIME! I have to leave now!" Mitsumi said, giving me an urgent look and I knew right away what she meant. Her job. She was to go out on the hunt again. My eyes grew wide and I immediately tried to tell her 'no.' When she didn't get the message, I stood up as well.

"I have to get going too."

Mitsumi gave me a questioning look. Shin looked at me weird.

"Jeez Sakura, what's got you so worked up?"

I was already halfway out the door, Gaara's jacket on. If Mitsumi was out to 'hunt' then there are bound to be even more assassins out there trying to get Gaara too. The charms had nothing to do with this! It was more about the citizens staying in, so they'd have a better chance of actually getting to Gaara.

_I just want to return his jacket... and make sure he's okay._ I told myself.

I locked the door behind me as I left. Shin and Sora shouldn't be getting hurt just because of me. I ran to Grandma Tsunade's room and locked her door too. By the time I made it outside, it was pouring rain. I cursed to myself, shielding my eyes from the rain. Where would Gaara be?

_On full moon nights, he craves..._

I climbed up a thick vine rounding a nearby tree. Ignoring the slight burning in my hands I climbed to the room of Grandma Tsunade's house. Maybe I could spot him if I could see the moon. Inhaling, I wiped my hands off on my pants, ignoring the rips that the twigs had left in them. At least Gaara's jacket was safe, right? My hands were burning, but the falling rain numbed them out. I was soaking wet, and my clothes basically clung to me along along with Gaara's jacket. Looking back, I spotted Mitsumi climbing out the window. Her eyes grew wide once she spotted me atop the house. She began to shout words I couldn't even comprehend. I had to get Gaara! Before Mitsumi did! I looked around frantically, looking for any sign of where Gaara could be, maybe my idea had been stupid after all.

I stared up at the moon, so it was full, and I hadn't gotten the dates mixed up after all. "Gaara... where could he be...?" I whispered to myself, shoving the hair out of my eyes. Cupping my hands around my mouth, I carefully ran to the edge of the roof. "GAA-RA!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. I did see him... he was heading straight towards me. Despite the rain, even though I couldn't see clearly, Gaara didn't look like himself. A grin was glued to his face, his eyes were black, with what looked like golden diamonds, in the middle. It was hard to tell with the rain. He was headed straight towards me though. I felt a jerk on my arm, and the similar figure of Mitsumi moved in front of me, wielding a katana in her hands.

"What are you thinking Sakura?! You shouldn't be up here, it's dangerous! ... What are you doing with Gaara's jacket?"

I started to shout over the rain. "He's my new friend. He's the one I have to return the jacket to, he let me borrow it yesterday when I caught a cold!"

Mitsumi stiffened. "N-new friend...? S-Sakura, that's not the best idea..."

In that millisecond, I saw a side of Gaara that I thought I would never see. He pounced, his hands had claws on them and he was attacking Mitsumi. Mitsumi was distracted talking to me, so she hadn't noticed him barreling her way. The world stopped moving altogether as I remembered Mitsumi's words.

_"We're best friends now, right? Best friends don't keep secrets from each other, so I have secrets of my own to tell you! Come on! Then you can trust me with your own secrets... at least that's how I think it works... that's the definition of a friend, right?"_

Definition of a friend. Such a complicated word. I realized what a true friend was when in that second I pushed Mitsumi out of the way, stepping forward instead of her. I surprised even myself, my eyes wide, it's like my brain wasn't even thinking, it was just my body's natural reflexes. I didn't feel the pain in my arm as I fell to my knees, I knew there was pain, but I just kind of numbed it out. Instead I felt my eyes sting, as if the pain from my arm left any impact at all. I couldn't tell if it was rain or tears streaming down my face. I stood up, only I had been with Gaara from the begining to keep him away. Loneliness makes everything worse, and Gaara had had enough of it. In front of me, stood the demon that had taken the form of Gaara, a twisted smirk resting on his lips.

"Ah- You're that girl that's been trying to befriend me!" He mused. His mask read happiness, but his icy tone read displeasure. It wasn't him I was trying to befriend, it was Gaara. I think he couldn't have cared less if I wanted to befriend him or not. Shukaku that is.

"L-let go of Gaara!" I yelled in my best commaning voice.

I leaped forward, wrapping my arms around him, not really thinking at all. It's just like previously with Mitsumi, my brain wasn't really thinking at all, it was just my body. The demon hissed, trying to claw away at me. Only then did I realize the charm must be burning him. In that moment, it didn't take long for the demon to retreat. I heard a familiar groan escape from Gaara's lips. Despite the stinging in my eyes, I found a smile resting on my lips as I hugged Gaara close. The actual Gaara. It was burning him. My charm. Immediately, I yanked it off, throwing it off the edge of the roof, sighing in relief. I couldn't help but giggle.

"You know, Gaara? This sounds just like a cliched book or movie. Friends stepping in the middle of everything trying to save their friend, but everything backfires. Except this time I managed to save you and Mitsumi... By the way, I have you jacket here..."


	12. Chapter 12

I stood in front of the council, Mitsumi beside me, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. A council member was staring me down - not only me, but Mitsumi as well. Beside his chair, on either side, stood gaurds. Beside the guards was Gaara and his siblings.

"How long have you had that charm?" he finally asked.

I sighed in relief, knowing that he had been staring at the charm around my neck, rather than me. The charm that Mitsumi had forced me to put back on once it stopped raining. I glanced over at Gaara, who smiled in reassurance. I let out my breath.

"I've had it for a while... It was passed down to me when my grandfather died, and I moved here... for, uh, personal reasons... sir."

His eyes widened slightly before going back to their monotone expression. I blinked, trying to determin whether what I saw was real or not. With a dismissive hand, he turned his head to the side, staring at Gaara. Gaara said nothing, not did he turn his head to make eye contact. The council member's gaze didn't falter from Gaara, but he began to speak with me once again.

"You are dismissed for now. Mitsumi, you are too."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"So... Gaara huh?" Mitsumi spoke up from beside me, kicking a rock into the nearby stream.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked confused. Both of us sat down, taking off our shoes. We dipped out feet into the cool blue water, it was hot out here, even with the wind blowing. I was also blowing up dust.

"Your... new friend..." Her tone seemed almost sedolate. I glanced over, her hair covered her expression so it was hard to tell what her face read.

"Yeah... is something wrong Mitsumi?" I asked, slightly poking her arm.

I tried to get a look at her face, but she turned it away once again. She was quiet for a full minute. The silence could've almost been awkward and kind of sketchy to any passerby, but I wanted to inter that silence.

"Does... that mean he's your... new best friend...?" I made out from her mumbling.

I blinked, then I began to laugh. Is that what she was so worried about? "No, silly." I punched her in the arm without much impetus. "Gaara's a friend. You and I, Mitsumi and Sakura, are best friends, remember? Best friends tell each other their secrets, knowing the other would do the same. You told me your secret the other day, remember?"

Yes... that day right after Gaara told me that he wants to be someone important, not a weapon. Mitsumi had told me a secret of her.

"_I have essences of the demon Gaara carries, locked inside of me. Once they get ride of Gaara, they want to use me as their new ultimate weapon... that's also why it makes me the perfect match to hunt Gaara." Mitsumi had said._

Mitsumi finally turned around, and I could see tears lining the bottom of her eyes. "R-really...? For always?" She held out her pinky finger. "Pinky promise?"

I locked my pinky with her, smiling a closed-eyed smile. "I promise."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"What were you thinking girl? Running off like that to save..._ him_?" Grandma Tsunade was sitting down at the Kotatsu, sewing something I couldn't quite make out yet. She was sewing furiously, making me wonder how she hadn't stabbed herself by now.

"Grandma!" I insisted. "He's my friend, of course I was going to go after him!" I continued to whine, voluminous reiterations that never seemed to reach Grandma Tsunade's ears.

"Idiotic girl..." Grandma mumbled, shaking her head to herself.

I irked slightly, but decided to let that comment slide. I breath in and out to calm myself down. "Grandma I-" Someone was knocking at the Shoji door.

I sighed. "I'll go get it." I offered. Without waiting for an answer, I raced to get the door, thinking it may just be another one of Grandma's acquaintances. Grandma's words, words that didn't even make sense, finally faded out as I reached the door. I fixed my clothes, trying to catch my breath. Plastering a smile, I pulled the door open, expecting to see some impatient elder. They were pounding so hard, it may as well have brought the door down to pieces.

"Grandma Tsunade is-"

"Sakura!"

I blinked, standing in front of me were Gaara's siblings. Temari and Kankuro. Both of them were catching their breath, as if they themselves had ran all the way here. I couldn't help but wonder... where was Gaara? Together they basically formed The Sand Trio. Did something happen to Gaara?

"Y-yes...?" I shook those negative thoughts out of my head.

Temari grabbed my shoulder. "Listen! Gaara wants us to give you this message! It's supposed to be top secret, but he thought you should know! The council is currently discussing Gaara's marriage! ...And, uh... Their thinking of calling off the marriage between Gaara and Mitsumi... Well not really call off, bu-"

"What is it?" I stepped aside, pulling both of them in. I closed the Shoji door once both of them were inside. Temari took a deep breath.

"Sakura... since you have the charm, and can keep the beast inside Gaara under control, they want to replace Mitsumi with you in the marriage. Basically they are thinking about your and Gaara's marriage!"


	13. Chapter 13

"...They didn't tell you the whole thing." Gaara admitted.

We were currently sitting high up in a tree, skipping school. The wind ruffling the leaves... and Gaara's hair, making it seem almost like it were on fire. In reality, Gaara had pulled me out here, somehow convincing me to skip school with him.

"U-um... okay..." I ran my hand through my hair nervously. Marriage...? Geez, I don't have time to date anyone and they are thinking about my marriage, at the aged of fifteen mind you, does Grandma Tsunade even know about this? Temari had said it was top secret until everything was decided. Gaara cocked his head to the side, staring back at me, with his sea foam green eyes.

I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable. I told them that I wouldn't agree to the marriage until you agree."

I almost chocked. "Wait a second! You're saying that you wouldn't agree if it were for my refusal? N-not that I said no or yes yet, but... um... I'm only fifteen and-"

Gaara placed his index finger over my lips, hushing me. "I have told you this before. The town is in desperate need of a new Kazekage. They need a new Kazekage as soon as possible, which leaves me as the only option. On that day, they want my engagement to take place, on my birthday. It's not necessarily marriage until we become the age of eighteen. It's only and engagement."

"_Only?_" I stared at Gaara in disbelief. "Gaara, I hope you know you will be spending the rest of your life with this person."

Gaara waved that comment away. "The town is solely holding up because of the council. There is room for tyranny right now, unless the next leader is chosen in the next week."

Yeah... the last three months went by quick... "Hey," I snapped my fingers together. "If the council goes against this in the end, will you be married to Mitsumi? What happened to the whole deal that your dad made with her dad?"

Gaara blinked. "Sakura, I hope you know that had been a cover from the beginning. That man wasn't really Mitsumi's father, he was just a citizen working as a servant that my father had previously paid for the act. They thought if I was tied down to Mitsumi than she would have even more of a chance to try to assassinate me, just what the original plan had been. If she had to wed Kankuro, it would've still worked out the dame way."

"Mitsumi... didn't tell me that..." I admitted.

Gaara nodded. "She's your friend, right? She doesn't want to make you worry or cause you any kind of trouble. Especially since you told her I'm your friend... Mitsumi's a wonderful friend."

I sat there awkwardly for a second. "So... you'll be engaged to Mitsumi on your birthday, and elected the new Kazekage as well. MAN!" I smiled brightly. "That's a lot of events! How are you preparing all that in less than a week?!"

Gaara sighed, shaking his head slowly. "You change gears quick, don't you?" None the less, a small smile still flitted across his face.

For some reason I was brought back to the day that I met him up on the rooftop. There was something different about him alright, and that's why I became his friend. I wanted to know why he was different, so here we were right now, sitting high up in a tree, over looking the small dirt plain that outstretched in all directions, leaving only this half dead tree standing in the middle... trying to keep dirt from getting into my mouth.

"Hey Gaara... if the council decides that they do want me to take Mitsumi's place... and if your father was still alive, so you didn't have to take the position of new Kazekage... would you still agree to marry me if I agreed?"

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

3rd P.O.V.

A black and pink haired female strolled into her house, her hair flying behind her. "Grandma Tsunade!" She yelled, trying to gain the attention of the older woman. When she didn't get a reply, the girl headed towards the back, to the garden. Kneeling in front of her roses, was the elder, her hair up in a tight bun, as usual.

"Welcome home, Sakura." she greeted.

Kneeling down besider her, Sakura's emerald green orbs met with the seemingly closed eyes of her grandmother.

"I have an answer." her voice never rising above a whisper, she smiled mischievously, placing her finger to her lips. "You asked me about the rose and thorns, right? Whether they cut in self-defense or just when you get near the stem or flower? I have it figured out!"

Grandma Tsunade stared back at the wonder filled Sakura, her eyes not faltering. "What have you come up with? ...Let's hear it!"

Grinning, Sakura sat down beside her grandmother, not caring about the dirt that began to cling to her school uniform.

"Well, I think it cuts when you get near it for self-defense, to tell you to stay away. It's protecting itself from what it believes to be some sort of danger... but when you get past that, you get a beautiful rose! You know Grandma, I think I've found one!"


	14. Chapter 14

Sakura's P.O.V.

Janurary nineteenth, Gaara's birthday. A week left. I doube they get any snow around this area, maybe rain, but that's more on the summer's side. It does get cooler though. So like normal friends, Gaara and I decided to act 'normal' and make a tree house. It was my idea of course, since the whole school was getting the week off for the up coming event. I agree that it was a big event and all, but seriously, the whole week?! All of a sudden, I'm glad that I went to Suna High out of all the available schools. The fact that I met Gaara, I mean how big of a possibility was that in the first place?

Anyway, Gaara and I were going to build the tree by ourselves, alone. Gaara was naturally bringing all the wood, while I did the other preparations. I got to pick the tree. When I got to the site, Gaara was casually sitting on a HUGE pile of wood, that was all cut smoothly.

"D-did you bring all this by youself?!" I asked, dropping the duffle bag I was carrying and running over to him. I ran my fingers over the long pieces that would possibly be the top of the tree house.

"I got a few men to bring it over. They don't know what it's for, but I told them to just forget about it until later." Gaara answered bluntly. Hopping off, he asked. "Where do you want to start?"

We were building the tree house in a tree that was behind Gaara's house, (The Next Kazekage...) because it was the last place someone would expect a tree house to be. Also because it was well hidden by other trees.

I brought out a measuring tape. "First off, I think it should be about eight feet off the groud." I brought out a pocket knife to do the markings. "That's why I told you we need long wood pieces that are about ten feet long. and about one by one thick." I said, pointing towards the longest pieces of wood laying on the ground.

Gaara cocked his head to the side. "Have you ever done this before?" He asked.

I sweat dropped, because actually, no I hadn't I had a good idea on how to do it though! Crossing my fingers behind my back, I answered swiftly. "O-of course I have! Pfft, what idiot would attempt such a thing without knowing how to do it!?" _My kind of idiot... what idiot would flat out lie to Gaara, and expect him to buy it? My kind of idiot._

A small twich was evident on Gaara's lips, but he said nothing and just nodded. I sighed in relief, thinking that he bought my lie. I opened my duffle bag and brought out the two things it was carrying; a rope ladder and a sketch pad. With one eye closed, I held up my index finger.

"Gaara, we're getting the bottom floor done today. I don't care if it takes us until sunset! Get ready to work."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Gaara's strong... despite his frame. By the time I was done with the measurements up in the tree, Gaara had already dug four holes in the ground, and shoved the four pillars in them.

"These don't look very sturdy." I commented.

Gaara wiped the sweat that had formed on his eyebrows off. "They're placed two feet in. The tree roots are also holding them in place, they should be fine."

"Fine, fine. First things first, we basically created the four corners of the tree house, the tree house will probably be eight by eight... eight in height as well so 8x8x8. I guess we can leave it at that for today... unless you want to actually get the floor done..."

A small smile appeared on Gaara's lips. "Going back on your words, aren't you? Sakura-chan?"

S-S-Sakura-_Chan_? I hid my face behind a branch to cover up the blush that had formed on my cheeks. "O-of course not! You look t-tired! That's all!"

"I'm not tired." Gaara climbed up. "It doesn't really make a difference to me, you know. I can't sleep. If I do, then it gives the Shukaku a chance to take control, just like the full moon night."

I smiled. "Then I'll punch him in the face and beat him up until you are back!" I gave him a thumps up. "Then I'll apologize to you for beating you up!" I laughed to myself, rubbing my knuckles in a menacing way.

Gaara shook his head, smiling. "Let's just finish this, okay?"

I nodded. "Hai! Remember, you have one week Mr. Kazekage! That's all you get to get me to agree!"

x.x.x.x

_ "Hey Gaara... if the council decides that they do want me to take Mitsumi's place... and if your father was still alive, so you didn't have to take the position of the new Kazekage... would you still agree to marry me, if I agreed?"_

_ "I... still don't fully understand the word 'love' yet... when my mother died during my birth and my uncle took care of me, I thought for sure that he cared for me truely... but that wasn't quite the issue. But if you could help me understand a precious word like 'love'... then I would consider giving it a second chance. Then I would agree in a heartbeat!"_


	15. Chapter 15

"You know Gaara... we should totally carve out names on the front of that tree house." I commented.

Sitting in front us, was out work for the past three days. It was made completely out of wood, except for the rope ladder. It was actually huge... and impressive, considereing the fact it was my first time making a tree house... pretty much blindly.

"Why...?" Gaara cocked his head to the side, the sun glinting off of his red hair.

"Easy! We made it! We should be proud of ourselves! I mean I am since this is -" I quieted down, slapping my hand over my mouth.

"Your first time making one." Gaara finished. I stared at him blankly, how did he know? I told him that I've made one before. Gaara shrugged, seeing the look I was giving him. "Your gaze shifted towards your feet for a second when you told me that you have created one before. You're not a very smooth liar."

"Gee thanks." I answered sarcastically. "I feel loved."

"...Really?"

I slapped my forehead. "No, that was sarcasm. Anyways... our names! The go on the front because I said so!" I took out the pocket knife I'd been working with the whole time and sauntered to the front. I ran my fingers over the smooth wood. I suddenly got the greatest idea. Stifling my laughter, I started to carve.

_G + S_

_ January 14th, 1973._

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "What's up with that?" he asled, gesturing towars the newly carved details. He ran his fingers gently over the engravings. His expression was hard to read. "It reads your and my initials..."

I giggled. "It's claiming ownership! So some random stranger doesn't pass by and claim it, or worse, make it their own personal house or lounging area. Come on! Let's go inside!" I grabbed Gaara's hand, dragging him towards the rope ladder. I paused for a second. "Hey... you go first."

"Why-" Gaara's cheeks turned red as he realized I was still wearing my school uniform, which consisted of a skirt. I laughed nervously, running my hand through my hair. "U-um..." Now Gaara was stuttering. Awe, so cute! I could just pinch his cheeks... I don't think that he would like that, but hey, I don't think I would care.

"You should go in first," I repeated. "You worked the hardest, right? I take it you've never tried something like this before, right?" I smiled at him softly.

"To be honest, I had no idea what we were doing... but you seemed so sure, smiling the whole time." Gaara admitted. "So I went along with it. I can't remember the last time I tried something like this, you're right on that." Gaara sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I really wish you could meet Naruto... He has big dreams, like becoming Hokage one day.

I snickered. "Then maybe one day I will. Now come on, in you go." I pushed him forward, towards the rope ladder. I watched him climb in with his duffle bag, as I approached the rope ladder. I climbed in after him, my own duffle bag resting over my shoulder. As soon as I entered, the first thing I saw was Gaara, taking a floor board apart. I blinked, just watching him silently. He took out a neatly folded piece of paper, placing it into the hollowed piece of wood. One he was done, he covered the hold back up.

"What was that?" I asked when he turned back around.

Gaara didn't move from the floor, instead he just stared at the floorboards and his hands. "Sakura, that's... if anything happens to me, Naruto will come after me for sure. Just like you did during the full moon night. He's my friend... he'll come. Give this to him, if anything happens to me. Until then, tell no one about it, and don't open it."

I opened my mouth slightly, the cool wind blowing in from the window, almost as if it was a bad omen. For the next full minute, only the wind howled as if saying something would happen...soon. The faint sound of fingling bells wafted in.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

A year later. (Don't worry the four days before his birthday will come in later. Promise)

3rd P.O.V.

A man with bright yellow hair and bright blue eyes stormed in, a growl escaping his lips. "Is it true?!" he demanded to know, his hands clenched into fists.

An older looking man stepped in. "Naruto," he warned."Calm down." The man had silver hair, the defied gravity, half of his face was covered by a mask of some sort. Another human trailed in, this time a girl, with a duller yellow than the first person and bright blues eyes that rivaled his. One of the Kazekage's employee's nodded, fret across hi face.

"I'm afraid so. The Lord Kazekage has been taken by the Akatsuki."

"You're... Naruto of the leaf?" A woman asked, stepping out from the shadows.

"L-Lady Sakura!" The annamed employee stuttered, immediately taking a bow. The three figures that had barged in, turned around to see a stunning woman standing in front of them. Her emerald eyes were gentle and bright, her pink and black locks flowed along with the wind that came from the door the trio had left open. A distinctive charm, a Cherry Blossom, hung around her neck.

"Lady Sakura...?" Naruto's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Who are you?" He asked.

A small but sad smile raised on the girl's features. Slowly, she held up her left hand, showing him the back, where a ring glinted in the light. "Me? I'm just Sakura... not Lady Sakura... and I've been engaged to Gaara, your friend, for the past year, since he turned fifteen."


	16. Chapter 16

"'What... is this place?" Naruto stared in confusion at the hug clearing they had come across. It had be hidden right behind the most important building in the village. It was shady despite the sun that shone over the land, considering the trees loomed high over them. Sakura cocked her head to the side, gesturing towards the hug tree that stood in the middle. Naruto's eyes grew wide as he realized the one factor that he had failed to consider. In the middle of the clearing, stood a tree that exhibited a tree house. He walked forwards cautiously. Immediately Sakura stopped him.

"There's... a trap you know." She warned, a soft smile on her lips. Walking up to a brush she messed with what seemed to be twine. "It picks up on weight... not animal weight...but human weight." She explained.

Naruto walked forward without hesitation, though he couldn't help but steal glances at Sakura every now and them. Not only had Gaara become the Kazekage, but he had a fiance. A beautiful fiance. _I'll get there too,_ he told himself. As everyone followed Sakura up, Naruto stayed behind for a second. In front of the three house, stood two letters that were engraved into the wood. A 'G' and 'S', right under it, it was dated last year, four days before Gaara's birthday. He stared up, wondering what kind of relationship Gaara and Sakura had held.

Naruto followed them in quickly. Inside, he met the sight of a messy room. There was a single desk in the corner, books piled on the floor around it. Sakura was kneeling on the floor, messing with a floorboard, right in front of the desk. Naruto's eyes grew wide once he saw the cleverly dug out hold in the floor board. Reaching inside, Sakura pulled out a folded piece of paper. It was slightly wrinkled, but it still held the form of a square.

"This is for you..." Picking herself up off the floor, Sakura walked towards Naruto, keeping one hand on the wall. For once, Naruto noticed the dark circles under her eyes, and the fact that her skin looked rather pale.

"For me?" he asked, reaching forward to catch Sakura before she fell to the floor. Sakura caught herself at the last moment, offering him a smile and the paper.

"Gaara put it in here, when we first built this tree house a year ago. He said if anything happened to him, he knew that you, Naruto, would come after him. He left it for you, warning me not to try and open it before then."

Naruto exchanged glances with his sensei, who nodded in return. Naruto immediately opened the paper up in a hurry. He began to read out loud, unsure if it was for him in person or not.

_Naruto,_

_If Sakura has given this to you, it could only mean that something has happened to me._

_If that's not the case...then Sakura put this back where you found it now. I know how your brain works Sakura, and even if I have no doubt that I will be able to get you to fall in love with me before my birthday and naming of Kazekage, this is not meant for you. _

_If this is Naruto, then please keep reading._

_I have had my suspicions from the beginning that the Akatsuki may come for me in the future. I've had my doubts._

_ Naruto, you have given the meaning of the word 'friend' to me. Sakura has given the meaning of 'love.'_

_ I am greatful, Naruto. The village is looking at me as something more than just a weapon. I feel as if I'm needed._

_To protect them, I may give in. They, the Akatsuki, aren't after me, but rather the demon that resides within me._

_Naruto choosing to go after me, places you in grave danger. Do not follow me._

_-Gaara._

Naruto's hands formed fists, crumbling the paper as he did. "What does this mean?! We're going after him no matter what he thinks! ...He was alone... just like me... I'm not leaving him with the Akatsuki! He's suffered enough!"

No one said anything after that. When Naruto lookedupm a unexpected sight greeted him. Tears were streaming down Sakura's cheeks freely. She had leaned forward, and was holding onto Naruto.

"I-I know I-I'm being s-selfish...! Bu-but please bring G-Gaara back h-home to me!"

Naruto stood there, reminiscence of a familiar scene passing his eyes. Except, this time it was Ino asking him to bring Sasuke back home.

"I-I promise I-I'll act like a-a girl and q-quit pl-playing pr-pranls on everyone at the office! I promise I'll study history! I-I promise I'll q-quit bothering Gaara w-when he does his work! I won't p-pester him! I'll st-stop trying to m-make him e-eat my cooking! I g-get that it-it tastes burnt! I-I won't ask for anything! Just br-bring him back! Br-bring Ga-Gaara back home to me. Wh-where he belongs!" Sakura was shaking. Ino pulled the girl away, embracing her instead, allowing her to cry freely. Ino could relate to the girl, a pained expression crossed her eyes as she reassured the girl. "We'll get him back. I promise."

"When do we leave, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked shaking off the nostalgia.

"In about an hour. I suggest you both rest up, Gai's team should be here by now. The sand has some sort of intel on the two Akatsuki members that targeted Gaara. The poison that Ino healed, using the herbs from that old woman Tsunade's house seemed to have saved Kankuro from whatever poison that the one using the puppets had injected him with. They have someone that they want us to take alone, someone named Lady Chiyo." Kakashi answered.

Sakura looked up. "I'm coming too." She added firmly.

Naruto looked skeptical. "You can't, it's too dangerous!" he added.

Sakura let out her breath, wiping the tears off of her face. "You know, Naruto? Gaara used to talk about you all the time. He told me you wanted to become Hokage, and how he wished that one day we could meet each other. I told him I would eventually meet you, if you did become Hokage... and I married Gaara. There is a reason behind why I was chosen as a candidate to marry Gaara."

Sakura pulled out her charm, the Cherry Blossom, holding it forward so the others could see it. "Because of this, Gaara can go to sleep at night, know that the village will be safe, and so will he. I have the ability to keep the beast inside Gaara tamed and locked away."


	17. Chapter 17

"Stay behind me at all times, all right?" Kakashi told me.

We were standing in front of a huge rock, right outside of the Aaktsuki lair... or where we gathered it was, anyways. I could feel it, I knew Gaara was inside. He was in there, he felt so close... yet so far away... I was getting a bad feeling. Like always, when I get nervous, I begin to finger the charm around my neck, biting the inside of my cheek.

"I can protect myself," I answered Kakashi shortly.

I thought back to the many times that I had basically played thief around the village so Gaara would actually pay attention to me. Guards would chase after me, not knowing that the one behind the mask was 'Lady Sakura.' It never annoyed him, Gaara. It always seemed too make him smile. He would shake his head and mutter ' of course you have my attention. Why do you do such reckless stuff that could get you killed? You realize that this is the village's security system that you managed to fool and get by?' When Ino used dynamite to blow the huge rock apart, there was a huge cloud of dust and water that got blown into the air. I was wearing a white cloth around my mouth and nose, so it didn't really make that much of a difference to me. The first one to run in was Naruto, but I wasn't too far behind. My face fell as soon as the scene came into focus. Two Akatsuki members, from what I could tell, anyways, were sitting on top of Gaara... Gaara...was he...unconsious or..._dead_?

I couldn't speak, just stare at Gaara's face, which appeared to be cracking. It was the demon's sand shield, the only thing that kept Gaara protected. Gaara had told me that it is what has kept him from shedding any blood, except for his visit to Konoha. Naruto was the first to speak up.

"What have you done to Gaara!?"

"Itachi was right, un. The first dog to bark must hold another demon spirit, un." the blonde member said, smirking. His hair was long, and pulled up into a half ponytail, he had hair flipped out to the front to cover up his left eye. He had dull blue eyes.

"Careful Deidara, he holds the nine tailed demon spirit." the other once warned. My eyes fell on him for the first time and I covered a gasp. I recognized him, I'd seen and heard about him before, it was in those books the people at the palace insisted I read to study our history from. He resembled someone called Hiruko...but he was supposed to be dead! Deidara stood up.

"Your friend is long dead. When we extracted the Shukaku from within him, it took his life with him. If you want his body though, come and get it."

He gestured towards the huge clay bird that was behind him. It walked forward and picked up Gaara with it's beak, swallowing him. Deidara climbed on, and the clay bird took off. Before Naruto could carelessly run off, and before I could run after Gaara, Kakashi stopped us.

"Naruto, you need to keep yourself under control. Ino, Lady Chiyo, I trust you can take care of this Akatsuki member. Naruto and I will go after the other one. Lady Sakura, your grandma is Lady Tsunade, I assume, the same one that Ino got the herbs from to cure Kankuro. It would be in everyone's best interest if you could stay here and supply antidotes against poison."

I opened my mouth, looking outside in the direction the Akatsuki member had flown off in. They were right, I had to stay here. I let out a shaky breath, holding in my tears.

"Pl-please...take care of Gaara...?" I asked, looking down at the ground.

Kakashi nodded. "We'll get him back, I promise." Nodding in return, I took off the satchel that I carried around my torso. It carried the various herbs that Grandma Tsunade had packed in it. Kakashi and Naruto took off. I wasn't necessarily paying attention to what was going on as I mixed the herbs, just as I had seen Grandma Tsunade and Ino do before. My mind traveled back to one of the days, a year ago, the day right after Gaara and I had conpleted the tree house.

_Flashback: Day 1 of 4_

_ "This is why I suggested that we go with my ideal." Gaara mused, arms crossed over his chest._

_ I frowned, sulkily. The trap that we had set around the tree house was just so no one would go in...well my ideal didn't work out. A rabbit had been caught._

_ "Fine! Your ideal was better than mine! But now we have to get that rabbit out before it suffocates and dies!" I answered, throwing my arms up in the air._

_ A small smirk appeared on Gaara's lips. "You're giving in?" he asked, as if making sure that he heard me correctly._

_ I narrowed my eyes, turning my back on him. "No need for you to make such a big fuss over it..." I mumbled, it was meant for him to catch it, but it could work either way I guess. _

_ "We have to work quick then, there are storm clouds visible. I'll start raining soon...seems as if we will have to camp out in the tree house." Gaara walked forwards, towards the netting that had previously been hidden in the leaves that littered the ground...until a rabbit decided to come give their tree house a visit, that is._

_ "Why can't we just run back to your 'palace.' future Lord Kazekage?" I asked, following him._

_ "We don't have tree cover on the way there. We're bound to get soaked quicker and faster...I don't think we have clothes your size there anyways, the whole place is filled with adults whose clothes will be too big on you."_

_ "Oh... that too... I'll freeze either way..." I muttered. _

_ As if planned, as soon as we freed the rabbit and I agreed to go with Gaara's ideal of the twine, which picks up on human weight rather than the lighter weight of animals, the first crack of thunder and the first gust of wind swept by. I hurried into the tree house after Gaara, the wind whipping my hair back and forth. I closed the wooden door behing me, sitting down against it. Gaara threw a blanket at me._

_ "You left that here yesterday." He said, sitting right across from me._

_ A blanket...right, I told him we should camp out here some day. Who knew that it could actually work out with that 'some day' being today - the very next day? Sitting there with the blanket wrapped around me, I stared down at the wooden ground, running my fingers over the smooth wood. It's still freezing. I'm considering getting some 'upgrades' done to the tree house once this is over. What upgrades...? I seriously don't know either. I looked up, Gaara was sitting there peacefully, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. His legs were pulled up, his elbows resting on his knees. I frowned; wasn't he cold? If he wasn't, well, I'm totally jealous. It must be the schools boys uniform! Why do they give girls these uniforms with skirts? It makes no sense._

_ I stood up, the blanket still draped around me. I walked across the room and stopped in front of Gaara. "Move over." I said, tilting my head to the side. Gaara opened his eyes, staring back at me blankly. He gathered that I was going to sit beside him and that I wanted the corner. Oh good, he's learning. I smirked inwardly, but kept my expression blank on the outside. Hesitantly, he scooted over. I smiled in triumph, sitting down. I draped one side of the blanket over him, keeping the other side over me._

_ "This isn't for you, I feel cold." I added. He chuckled in response, tilting his head back and closing his eyes once again. I frowned. "I'm serious!" I insisted. "Quit laughing!"_

_ "I'm not laughing."_

_ "Yes you are! I'm feeling cold, that's why I'm here!" I huffed._

_ "Tsundere."_

_ "Wh-what!?" I turned my head to the side, so he couldn't see the blush on my cheeks._

_ Me? A tsunedere? As if. He's a friend... that's why I'm here. Right...? I puffed out my cheeks, trying to ignore the fact that I wasn't cold anymore. Instead, the longer I sat there, the more drowsy I grew. I leaned my head back, like Gaara, and closed my eyes. The soft patter of the rain outside made everything appear calm... and even dark in here. No rain was leaking through, which must mean we did a good job at creating the tree house, or the tree branches were shielding us. I almost found myself wishing I could stay here forever. As my eyelids grew heavy, my head slipped to the side and onto Gaara's shoulder. Once again, I heard him call out 'tsundere' before I fell asleep fully._

_ End of Flashback: Day 1 of 4_

Yes. If only we could've stayed like that forever. Nothing to worry about, just Gaara and I stuck in that tree house, where it was peaceful, tranquil, and calming. That wasn't possible though. I still had to save Gaara. He couldn't have just _died_... he has to be alive. He has to be. Naruto and Kakashi had to save him; they promised.


	18. Chapter 18

"Is... he okay? He's okay right?" I stared at Lady Chiyo, who sat beside Gaara.

Gaara was laying limp on the floor, his head resting in my lap. The look on her face didn't read good news, but I still hung on to the small string of hope that hung down. Sasori is dead...Deidare is gone... the only thing left to make this perfect would be for Gaara to wake up. I shook him slightly, nudging him. Naruto sat on the other side of Gaara, his face falling when Gaara didn't respond.

"Gaara..." he muttered. The wind blew softly, taking me back to the same comparison I loved to make; Gaara's hair looked like a fire burning bright and hot in the daylight. I ran my fingers through his hair, waiting for him to wake up.

"Sakura... he's not...he's not going to..." Ino trailed off, seening the frown on my face. Of course he will; he told me that he wouldn't leave me behind in a place like this. 'The world is a beautiful place, but it can be terrifying as well,' that's what he had told me.

_ Flashback: Day 2 of 4_

_ Walking home from school, I found myself staring at Gaara's hair...again. It looks like fire, okay? How many times do you see that? How many times do I point that out?_

_ "Bye! See you later!" Mitsumi said, as we parted ways._

_ She'd become extra happy once she learned that she may not have to marry anyone after all... she suspects that I may not have a problem with marrying Gaara. They, the assassins, aren't after Gaara trying to kill him anymore, since he now hold the key to Suna's future. The order had been over-written. I tried to tell Mitsumi that it was nothing like that, but of course she didn't want to listen being the airhead she is. Sora would give Mitsumi and I a blank look because she doesn't want to know the possibility of me marrying Gaara. Shin? He basically calls himself Gaara's 'fan girl.' Shin is just too adorable... but he doesn't have any ideal either. _

_ I mean... I'm not really saying yes, but I'm not really saying no wither... I just want to wait until I'm at least eighteen before I marry! Gaara was asking me something, but I still couldn't help but stare at his hair. Without thinking, I brought my hand up and ran it through his hair._

_ "...Soft..." I muttered to myself, nodding in conformation._

_ Gaara blinked, closing his mouth mid-sentence. "What are you doing?" He asked, coming to a stop._

_ "Your hair is soft." I commented. "...And it looks like fire. So it feels like I'm running my hand through fire." I shrugged. Suddenly, getting the randomest ideal, I snapped my fingers together. "Gaara, I want a piggy back ride!"_

_ I don't know how I got him to agree, especially with the amount of weird looks we were reciving from the citizens, but he finally gave in. I climbed onto his back, my legs wrapped around his torso and his arms around my legs to make sure I didn't fall off._

_ "You're difficult." Gaara thought, out loud._

_ "Psh, you know you love me. I mean, if you put up with me, than I can't be all that difficult." I mused, slapping the back of his head lightly. I wrapped my arms around his neck, being careful not to strangle him._

_ "I put up with you because you're my friend. Being locked in that house for three years... you mus have been just as alone as I felt."_

_ "I wasn't locked in the house for my whole life though, you were alone longer than me... plus I had Grandma Tsunade. She just loves to speak in riddles, that's the only downside." I countered as Gaara rounded a corner._

_ "Riddles? What does she say?"_

_ I got off of Gaara's back as we reached my front door. "She says a lot of things. About people... nature... real life lessons...yeah, a lot. Most of it she learns through observation. She likes to compare humans to natural things... almost like personification, I guess you could say."_

_ "What king of outlook does she have on human?" Gaara asked casually._

_ I laughed nervously, sweat dropping. "It's not very positive... but she believes that we will destroy the world one day, because there is too much hatred going around. Not only between humans, but humans and Mother Nature, as well. 'Earth wears beauty like a mask,' she says."_

_ Gaara cocked his head to the side. "I would agree to some extent, but I believe we can still change that. The world is a beautiful place, but it can be terrifying as well. That's why we need each other."_

_ I whistles. "Grandma Tsunade would love you." I teased, flicking his forehead. "If we need each other anyways, then what's the purpose of marriage, Gaara? I don't see a difference."_

_ "Obviously," Gaara retorted. "Mariage... it's like promising that you'll be there no matter what; sickness, unfortunate events... and basically someone who will promise to never leave you alone."_

_ "OH-HO! See, you know what love is! So, if I were to marry you, you promise to never leave my side then. of faithful knight? Just like in those cliched stories, right?"_

_ Gaara chuckled, but pushed me towards the door. "Yes."_

_ End of Flashback: Day 2 of 4_

"There...might still be a way. There was a ritual I was working on, the one I planned on using on the puppets that represented Sasori's parents." Lady Chiyo muttered.

"Ritual...? What kind of ritual?" Ino walked forward to stand beside Lady Chiyo.

Lady Chiyo shook her head. "That's not important. Now, Lady Sakura," Lady Chiyo turned to face me. "Do you still have that charm that you carry with you? The Cherry Blossom? It's the final piece that I will need."

I nodded, pulling out the chain that housed the charm. I yanked it off, holding it forward, towards Lady Chiyo. "The charm? What's the charm have to do with anything?" I asked.

"There's an old Egyptian symbol inside it. I'm pretty sure you may have realized, it doesn't belong in Japan. It's meant to protect, but in this ritual that I'm going to use, it will bring back the Lord Kazekage. This ritual doesn't abide by the Egyptians, but rather it's made by myself, which means it abide by the Japanese culture, so the Cherry blossom covering the Egyptian symbol is perfect fo this."

I watched silently as Lady Chiyo placed the charm on Gaara's chest, topping it off with her hand. The charm was beginning to glow, and so were her hands. The charm a light blue, her hands a light green. I chewed on my lip nervously, even a blind man could tell that Lady Chiyo was about to faint any second now, with her trying to heal Gaara; who knows what could happen. Naruto was staring intently, Ino sat beside her reassuringly. Kakashi didn't look too sure either, but it was hard to tell with his mask on. There had to some sort of a drawback, right?

Almost as if my question was being answered, the next scene happened in almost slow motion. A groan escaped Gaara's lips, the charm shattered, pieces flying everywhere, and Lady Chiyo... Lady Chiyo's head dropped to the ground. The drawback was that it took Lady Chiyo's life, while it restored Gaara's.


	19. Chapter 19

Naruto was the first to bring Gaara to his senses. I moved to Gaara's side, wrapping my arms around him and inhaling his scent. It's funny how he still smelled the same after a year. Leaning on me, Gaara wrapped his arm around my waist for support. I was tempted to flick his cheek; he can't fall, we're sittin on the ground! I grinned, forgetting everything that had happened as practically half of the town showed up to show how much they needed Gaara.

Naruto smiled. "See!? You're someone important now!"

I frowned slightly; Gaara was important to me bore the town even acknowleged him... and now it's like they receive more of Gaara's attention than even I do! I found it strange to think that I, Sakura, of all people was feeling jealous. I watched Gaara's expression as his eyes ran over the infinite amount of people cheering him on, someone that I recognized as his apprentice among them. He seemed almost in awe, really, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"Kyaa! Lord Kazekage is so cool, ne!?"

"And so hot!"

"He's engaged, idiot!"

"But he's so young!"

"So is she!"

Okay, now that was a little bit of a push over the edge. I frowned, realizing I was jealous for no real reason, yet it still continued to burn inside of my chest. Gaara you jerk! I do all of these crazy things around the village and palace to get your attention and you just wave me off. Look at those girls and their... indecency! They continue to fantasize over you and I'm sitting right here! Your fiance!

"Just you wait Gaara! I'll catch up to you and become the Hokage one day! Naruto declare, before looking away and in a smaller voice muttering. "And get a finace..."

"Ow... Sakura, you're digging your fingernails into my sides..."Gaara spoke in a broken voice.

I instantly loosened my grip, giving him basically the cold shoulder. I blame him for the town girls fantasizing about him; I probably would've as well if I were in their place. I mean why not? Gaara was perfect. Perfect sense to rule and guide the town, and then there was his features that set him apart. Perfect red hair, perfect green eyes, the dark circles under heis eyes that just made him look adorable, even if they were no good for him.

Gaara noticed my discord. "What's wrong with you?" he muttered. His fan girls continued to dance in front of us, oblivious to the sudden shift in the atmosphere.

He's asking what's up with me? Is he serious? Is he trying to tick me off? Well, frankly, it's working. I punch him. I punched Gaara, in the stomach. I gasped, staring at my fist, then switching my gaze to Gaara who was coughing slightly. I swear, with the way I'm acting I have to be bipolar, because the next moment I was back at Gaara's side once again, hugging him tightly as I repeated the words 'I'm so sorry!' Warm tears were rushing down my cheeks.

"Moron! Are you seriously asking what's with me?! You practically came back from the dead, and the first thing that you notice when you do? Crazy fan girls doing weird chants and dancing like some pedophile high on crack!" I continued my rant, ignoring the rest of the world. "You said that you'd never leave my side! That we would face the bad side, the terrifying side, of the world together! You almost broke that promise you baka!"

There was silence for a second, before another one of the fan girls spoke up. "Crap, she punched Lord Kazekage..."

I was literally pulling at my hair. Gaara groaned. "I told you, Naruto. She's the kind of woman who wakes up in the morning and once her feel hit the floor, even the devil cringes back saying 'Crap, she's up.'"

A tick mark appeared abovee my head once the insult sunk in. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

Naruto sweat dropped. "It's like she's a whole nother person than the Lady Sakura we met three days ago."

"Guys..." Ino muttered quietly. She was sitting by Lady Chiyo. "Lady Chiyo is dead. That was the price..."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

I stood in front of the window in Gaara's office, staring outside into the dark night. Like everyone else, I was wearing black. The moon outside was full, meaning it would have been a night where I would've kept a watch over the shukaku is long gone, but it didn't change the fact that it felt like something was... just out of order.

_On full moon nights, he craves..._

I guess it just felt weird not having my charm. The charm, it protected against basically everything... and now it was just gone. I glanced over at Gaara, who sat at his desk, not doing paperwork for once. His head was tipped back, his eyes closed. At least the charm didn't go to waste, and brought Gaara back, right? ...It took away Lady Chiyo as well. Sure, she was correct when she said that the town needed Gaara, but there must've been some other way, right? I turned back around, pushing the window open. It was getting sufficating, and I couldn't understand how Gaara spent all his days cooped up in his office. It's not that special anyways. It's great that he's the Kazekage, but he needs to be just Gaara sometimes. Not Lord Kazekage, but just Gaara, my Gaara.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gaara asked, breaking the silence. "This isn't exactly your favorite place to be, Standing around isn't your hobby either."

"I should be asking you that. You're the one who came back, injured, from the dead, only to get back to work again right after Lady Chiyo's funeral." I gave him a fake smile, trying to enlighten the mood. He already has way to much on his mind anyways. I watched with slight interest as Gaara stood up and walked forward, not once moving his eyes off of me. He stopped right in front of me.

"You were jealous," he noted. "When I woke up, that's why you punched me, isn't it?"

I scowled. "What gave you that ideal? You can just go back to your paperwork and I couldn't care less. You pay more attention to the whole town, more than you ever did to me, and I don't care. You notice, _girls_, doing their weird little dance as soon as you come back from the dead, I - imph!"

I was cut short. Because Gaara kissed me.


	20. Chapter 20

_ Flashback: Day 3 of 4_

_ "Why don't you just agree?" Gaara asked frustrated. "It's only an engagement! Tomorrow is the last day for you to decide! You can break off the engagement later if you don't like it or decide against it!" _

_ "You're getting impatient." I teased, flicking his forhead. "Sheesh, I still have _ages_ left before I have to decide!" _

_ "Two day. Correction." Gaara muttered. "Not ages. It's not nice to exaggerate."_

_ I made a face. "'It's not nice,'" I imitated him in a snappy, high-pitched voice. I sat down in my chair. "There is one drawback. It's keeping me from agreeing." I said, pulling on a serious face, looking out the window._

_ Down in the field, kids were running around, playing. It was free time for them, lunch time for our grade level. Gaara hand managed to pull me away from Shin, Mitsumi and Sora and into an empty classroom._

_ "What's that?" Gaara sat in front of me._

_ For the first time I noticed that his hair was disheveled more then usual...as for his dark circles, I don't think they can get any worse. I'm seriously tempted to ask whether that's eye liner or not. Heck, just reach forward and touch them to see if I get ant smear of eyeliner on my fingers._

_ I exaggerated a sigh just to annoy him. "I'm worried because I don't think you'll pay that much attention to me after becoming the Lord Kazekage. I thought we had the talk about friends not to long ago!" I whined throwing my arms into the air._

_ Gaara blinked. "Is that why you've been saying 'no' up until now?"_

_ " I mean I never told you 'no'... but I also haven't said 'yes' either."_

_ Gaara rubbed his forehead, irritated. "If I promise not to forget you, even though that promise isn't necessary, will you marry me?" Seeing the look on my face, Gaara corrected himself. "Agree to the engagement?"_

_ "...Maybe."_

_ End of Flashback: Day 3 of 4_

I awkwardly sat in front of Gaara, fiddling with my fingers, occasionally stealing glances at him. His Kazekage hat sat beside him, as he ate dinner. I looked down at my plate, I hadn't even touched it yet.

"Sakura? Are you okay?" I jumped out of my seat at Gaara's words. "Is the food not to your liking?" he asked.

"A-ah...!" I rubbed my head awkwardly. "No...i-it's nothing like that..." _Quit staring at me...! Geez! To think that I should've gotten over your compelling gaze by now._

"Are you sick?" Gaara placed his eating utensils down, cocking his head to the side. "You seem a little sick." he commented. He stood up, walking around the circular table to my side. Where is Kankuro, Temari, and Grandma Tsunade when you need them?!

"Me? S-sick? Haha, I didn't know you had a sense of humor! Where have you been hiding it for the past year and a half? Huh?! Haha...ha...oh..."

Gaara placed his hat back on his head. "Lets go walk around town... how about the tree house? We need to talk."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"What do you think?"

"Huh? About what?" I sat in the bean bag chair, halfway sulking. We had managed to get around guards and other townsmen... because Gaara forced me to show him how I got around the town without being seen. Now he knew my secret paths, and now he was probably going to block them all off. Ninety-nine percent chance he will, the other once percent... well, I always have back-ups.

"We're approaching the age of eighteen."

I rolled my eyes. "Would you quit being so formal? Gosh, it's annoying. Anyways, what about eighteen?"

"Fine. We're about to turn eighteen. Happy?"

"I smirked. "Much better. You agreed so quickly... but you don't give in when I ask you if you're willing to take a break so you and I can spend time together. What a jerk." I scoffed, turning my head to the side. "That's why I agreed for the engagement, right? Man... I haven't got to see Sora, Shin or Mitsumi in so long..." I whined the last bit, frowning.

Gaara sighed. "You and I will have a lifetime to spend together after we're married."

"I can still call it off." I interjected, yawning.

"That's what I was about to ask about." Gaara shot me a look.

I cocked my head to the side, trying to hide my surprise.. "Oh...That's nice. What about it?" I leaned forward slightly, looking away at the same time, trying not to act too interested.

"Why are you so difficult, woman?"

Gaara seemed pretty irritated, good, he deserved it. That's what he gets for being confusing. He ignores me, then kisses me, and then asks me to a dinner, alone! Kiss... Oh, gosh, now I'm blushing for sure. I hadn't expected that! Okay?! Gaara raised and eyebrow as he stared at me weirdly. As if he caught onto my thinking process, a small smile grew on his face.

"Q-wuit that!" I threw my arms up in the air. "Okay! You were going to ask me if I will marry you or not, right? So get on one knee and do it already!" I looked away, puffing out my cheeks.

"Tsundere," Gaara chuckled. "Isn't that the same thing I said about a year ago?"

"Self-centered much?" I scoffed, standing up. "Well, if you aren't going to do anything, then I'm leaving. I have better things to do since you refuse to spend time with me. If you don't spend time with me, than how am I supposed to know for sure that you'll spend time with me after we're married?"

Turning around, I got ready to leave... kind of disappointed that he didn't get on one knee and hold out a ring. Instead, he grabbed my hand, pulling me back into a tight embrace. Breathing into my hair, her started.

"Look, I do love you, okay? I'm just worried... I don't want to hurt you. You seem too fragile. The village is your home, and I work day and night to make sure it's safe for you. I don't want to lose you. You taught me to love, and not to love only myself, but others as well."

"Sh-shut up... you sound cheesy..." I muttered with a grin on my face. I buried my face into his chest, so he couldn't see my grin. Now I remember why he has me wrapped around his finger so tightly. Dang it Gaara!

"Will you marry me?"

"...Yeah."

"...You actually said yes?"

"For the record, Gaara, you have already asked this. Except back then you meant the engagement. Get your crap together man."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"By the way Gaara, back when I first met you, on the roof, where did you disappear to in that second Sora appeared?"

"Oh, that? I climbed down the side of the building, swinging into one of the windows."

"...That's actually pretty smart." When he was least expecting it, I grabbed his hat, shoving it onto my head. I ran, leaving Gaara to chase after me if he wanted to get his hat back. "Thanks for teaching me, Senpai!"

Oh look... his hair looks like a fire burning bright in the middle of the night under the moonlight!


	21. Chapter 21

_ Flashback: Day 4 of 4_

_ "Graffiti... on the town walls?" Gaara sighed, his expression remaining stoic. "Get to the bottom of this. I want you to bring the culprit in as soon as possible."_

_ The solider nodded and quickly hurried away. He paused in his haste and turned around to bow to Gaara. Then he hurried back out, fixing his helment._

_ I snickered. "Gaara, try to cool it down... pretend you have cool aviator glasses on or something... you know, swag. Don't act all tough around your guards, sheesh. They may know you're nice, but try to show them that you are actually nice."_

_ Gaara turned around, raising an eyebrow. "I act the same. What's up with the aviator glasses anyways?"_

_ I gasped. "Naw! You don't act the same! You act different around me!" I insisted. I stole his hat, placing it on my head. "See? If anyone else did that, you would look at them weirdly... I don't think you would get mad at them... but still!"_

_ I wonder...why does Gaara have the Kazekage hat already, if the offical ceremony is tomorrow? In fact, he's already in charge of the whole town, without them even noticing._

_ Gaara shrugged. "Maybe it's just around you then." It became silent as those words sunk in. Red tinted Gaara's cheeks and he looked away, grabbing his Kazekage hat from me._

_ I ran my hand through my knee length hair. "Hey Gaara... I'll agree to marry you... but you have to promise to pay attention to me."_

_ "I promise."_

_ The guard came back, running in, out of breath. Now was my cue to leave. I backed away slowly, laughing nervously. "Ehehe, hey, Gaara? There is something I wanted to tell you. About paying attention to me... I was kind of the one who drew and wrote graffiti on the town walls, so you would come looking for me... ehehe, I'll be leaving now."_

_ I ran like I have never ran in my life before. I heard Gaara groan as he dismissed the soldier. _

_ "Don't worry, I'll get her. Call the search off."_

_ "Lord Kazekage... I was here to tell you that the wall read 'Notice me Senpai' with what appeared to be a girl with black and pink hair and... your hat. It appeared to be Lady Sakura, Lord Kazekage._

_ "Oh... Why don't you take the day off today? I'll go catch Sakura."_

_ "D-day off? Are you sure Lord Kazekage?"_

_ "It's your son's birthday, is it not? Go home and show him around town. I'm sure he'll love it."_

_ "You're too kind, Lord Kazekage._

_ End of Flashback: Day 4 of 4_

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

**Seven Years Later**

"For the last time Gaara! Stop that!" A girl with pink locks sat on top of the Kazekage's desk, facing him. "It's a bad influence on Shiro! And even Saki!" Yanking the hat off the Kazekage's head, the woman began to furiously rake her fingers through her husband's hair, scowling. "Sheesh... to think you would've taken the hint by now... it used to look like a burning flame, but now... it just looks like coal that someone drenched in water..."

"Sakura..." Gaara immediately quieted down, seeing the look Sakura was giving him.

Finally satisfied with her work, the female turned her gaze back to Gaara. "Don't ever. DON'T EVER! Ever. Slick your hair back again. Never! Got that?" The woman frowned, waiting for an answer.

Gaara ran his own hair through his hair. "Does it really bother you that much?"

The woman nodded furiously. "Oh yeah, it bothers me a lot. Ugh!" The female shivered in disgust. "Very bad influence on Shiro... I need to talk to him. Saki must have enough sense not to copy her dad... she must've gained something from me..."

"I won't touch my hair again, okay? Now please... get off my desk Sakura." He looked away to the side.

Sakura leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "Do I... tempt you? Gaara? Man that's hilarious!"

The door to the office flew open, a flurry of five people flooding in.

"Mama!" Two little voices yelled in sync. "Uncle Kankuro was being mean, so Uncle Shin took us out to eat ice cream with Auntie Mitsumi and Auntie Sora!"

"They get that from you as well..." Gaara muttered.

At the doorway, stood two small kids, no older than four. Both had flaming red hair, with emerald eyes. They were twins, other than their gender difference. Sakura ignored Gaara's words, laughing instead.

"Uncle Kankuro is just like your dad! He says you'll catch a cold! ...Did you know that your dad said the same thing to me once? And he jinxed me and I actually caught a cold!" Sakura sighed, exasperated.

"Sakura!" Shin rushed forward. "Guess what? I met this really hot dude at the mall yesterday! We have to go there! Maybe he works there!" Shin gushed, pulling on Sakura's arm.

"I'm in!" Sakura yelled. She jumped off of Gaara's desk. "Until then, you kids will have some time with daddy, since he came home so late this past week. ...Gaara, remember what I said. Mark my words, teach them to slick back their hair and you're dead!" Sakura threatened, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes.

Mitsumi giggled. "Hey Sakura, Temari is visiting soon. She's dragging Shikamaru along this time!"

Sakura gasped. "Sora! Mitsumi! We have to make preparations! Today is the day right? We honor Lady Chiyo's death!"

Gaara groaned. "Shiro... Saki... just... never mind." A small smile danced on Gaara's lips as he stared at his wife, her waving her arms wildly in the air. "...How do you feel about having a brother or sister?"

"YES!" Saki exclaimed, her twin groaing in response.

Gaara stared down at his reflection that was splayed across his desk. Exactly the same as when he first met Sakura on the schools rooftop. He wasn't a monster anymore, he was someone precious. He held many people dear to him. Especially Sakura. He remembered the exact words he had told her once, the words that brought them together:

"I feel you can tame the monster inside of me."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Well, that's it! I hope you all enjoyed it. I had fun writing it with my friend. This is mainly her story. She just needed it to be put up so I let her use my Fanfition account! Anyways Thank you for reading and I hope you all liked my ending.


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